Trump threatens Bush-appointed judge by name over White House renovation project case

Donald Trump threatened a federal judge by name Sunday and attacked a female plaintiff as a "serial" litigant in a Truth Social post defending his plan to build a military drone port on top of the proposed White House ballroom, warning the judge that he "will be held responsible" if anything goes wrong.

"Judge Richard Leon should stop playing games with America's Security!" Trump wrote, posting side-by-side images of the proposed DronePort — one showing a festive aerial view of Washington and another depicting military aircraft and troops. "If anything happens, he will be held responsible for the Death and Destruction caused to our Country."

Trump claimed the drone port would be "perhaps the most sophisticated anywhere in the World" and argued that modern threats have made traditional defenses obsolete. "With the advent of highly sophisticated, and powerful, modern day weaponry, we can no longer defend Washington, D.C., with rifles and pistols, alone," he wrote.

He also turned his fire on the woman whose lawsuit is challenging the project, calling her "a highly litigious woman (serial plaintiff!)" and mocking her stated concern that the structure would disturb her strolling in the area. Trump said she had "absolutely no STANDING" and demanded the case "be dismissed, IMMEDIATELY."

Trump also accused the judge of allowing "Top Secret" information to be released through the litigation, framing the judge's handling of the case as a national security threat.

Leon is a George W. Bush appointee who has served on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia since 2002. He has not publicly responded to Trump's post as of the time of writing.