Clarence Thomas says ‘very dicey’ threats make it hard for him to attend public events

“The security concerns now are much different from the way they were when I first became a circuit justice,” Thomas said. “That’s really one of the big changes since I’ve been on the court — that it’s become very, very dicey.”

The comments come as the Supreme Court has increasingly sought additional resources to bolster security for justices and federal judges amid a rise in threats. 

Concerns about judicial safety have intensified in recent years following politically charged rulings and growing public hostility toward members of the federal judiciary. 

Threats against judges have increased nationwide, prompting expanded protection efforts from the U.S. Marshals Service and calls from judicial officials for more congressional funding. 

Security fears surrounding the high court escalated sharply after an armed man was arrested outside the Maryland home of Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2022 following the leak of a draft opinion in the abortion case that ultimately overturned Roe v. Wade. Congress later approved legislation extending security protections to the immediate families of Supreme Court justices. 

Thomas has made similar remarks about security before. 

Earlier this year, Thomas was scheduled to attend an event in person at American University in Washington, but had to switch to remote attendance due to a security risk.

Thomas, 77, has served on the Supreme Court longer than any current justice and is the second-longest-serving justice in the institution’s history. A leading voice in the court’s conservative wing, Thomas has remained active in public speaking appearances despite criticism and scrutiny regarding some of the court’s decisions.