US Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett on Tuesday disclosed that she had to explain a bulletproof vest to her 12-year-old son after threats against her intensified — a striking personal account offered as the court appealed to Congress for a $14 million security funding increase for fiscal year 2027. The testimony, delivered before a Senate appropriations subcommittee in Washington, laid bare the extent to which the personal safety of America's top judges has deteriorated in recent years.

Barrett's Account of Escalating Threats

'When I took this job, I didn't really anticipate being in the position of having to explain to one of my children what a bulletproof vest was and why his mom had it,' Barrett told the subcommittee. She said threats against her became particularly intense following the 2022 leak of the court's draft opinion in the landmark Dobbs abortion case, at which point her security detail advised her to obtain the protective gear.

'So I took it home from the house, went into my bedroom, threw it down and turned around, and my 12-year-old son was in the doorway, and he said, ‘What’s that?’' she recounted. The moment encapsulates what Barrett described as a 'very threatening environment' that has fundamentally altered life for the court's members.

Swatting Incident and Anonymous Harassment

Barrett also disclosed a swatting incident at her residence approximately six weeks ago, in which police responded to a false report claiming gunshots had been fired inside her home. One of her teenage sons opened the front door to find the street lined with officers; her residential security team had coordinated with local law enforcement before they entered the property.

Beyond the swatting, Barrett said justices and their family members had received anonymous deliveries — including pizzas — sometimes sent in the name of the murdered son of a federal district judge. 'They're meant to intimidate, and they're meant to harass,' she said. 'But it is a very threatening environment.'

Kagan: Threats Expected to Rise 38 Per Cent This Year

Justice Elena Kagan, who appeared alongside Barrett at the hearing, told senators that Supreme Court police project threats against the justices will rise by 38 per cent this year, following a 25 per cent increase the previous year. Each justice now travels with a security detail of between four and eight people.

'Life has changed a great deal for all of us,' Kagan said, recalling that when she joined the court in 2010, she walked outside and drove to work without any personal protection. The contrast underscores how dramatically the security landscape has shifted over a decade and a half.

Budget Request and Document Leak Concerns

The court is seeking an additional $14 million — a 7 per cent rise — for salaries and operational expenses in its fiscal year 2027 budget request. Much of recent budget growth has been driven by security costs, according to the court's submission.

Both justices also warned that leaks of confidential court documents could compound security risks and erode institutional trust. Barrett said the court had responded by introducing new document-tracking protocols and requiring employees to sign non-disclosure agreements. This comes amid continued scrutiny of the court's internal culture following the unprecedented Dobbs draft leak in 2022.

With threat projections continuing to climb, the court's funding appeal is likely to intensify pressure on Congress to act before security gaps widen further.