Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan told House appropriators on Tuesday that threats against the justices have escalated sharply and have come “very close” to members of the Court.

Kagan, defending the Supreme Court’s fiscal 2027 budget request, disclosed that the Supreme Court Police are expecting a 38% increase in threats this year, following a 25% rise the previous year.

“For some of us, those threats have come very close, and all of us live with the knowledge that they may again materialize,” Kagan said in her opening statement.

The Court is requesting an additional $14 million for salaries and expenses — a 7% increase — with nearly all recent budget growth driven by security needs. Kagan noted that the security posture of the Court has changed dramatically since she joined in 2010, when justices did not have the kind of personal security details they now require.

“We began expanding our security program in earnest in 2017,” she said, citing the Dobbs leak, online attacks, and physical vulnerabilities as key factors behind expanded residential security, threat assessments, cybersecurity, and increased staffing.

Kagan emphasized that despite the heightened threats, the justices remain focused on their duties:  

“All members of the Court continue to do their jobs as they believe legally right, adjudicating cases without fear or favor.”

She also pushed back gently on lawmakers, asking them to keep questions focused on the budget rather than recent or pending Court decisions.

The testimony highlights the serious security challenges facing the nation’s highest court amid a polarized political climate.