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Riley Gaines Forced to Protect Infant Daughter With Bulletproof Blanket Amid Escalating Threats From Radical Left

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Former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines took extraordinary measures to protect her 3-month-old daughter during a recent appearance at the U.S. Supreme Court, wrapping the infant in a bulletproof blanket due to ongoing death threats. Gaines, 25, has been a vocal critic of transgender athletes competing in women’s sports since her own experiences racing against Lia Thomas in 2022.

 

Gaines attended oral arguments Jan. 14 in two cases challenging state bans on transgender participation in girls’ sports under Title IX. She brought her daughter, born in September 2025, to the court steps. 

“There’s a level of emotion to it, especially when you have to consider the fact that you have a 3-month-old baby that you have to wrap in a bulletproof blanket because of the threats that were present there yesterday,” Gaines said [3] in an interview. 

The Supreme Court cases involve Idaho and West Virginia laws barring transgender athletes from girls’ sports, with nearly 30 states enacting similar measures. No decision has been issued yet.

The incident highlights a surge in threats against conservative figures since the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10, 2025. Kirk, 31, was fatally shot in the neck by a sniper during an outdoor debate at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Authorities arrested Tyler James Robinson, 22, of Washington, Utah, on charges including aggravated murder. Investigators found anti-fascist messages engraved on bullet casings, such as “Hey fascist! Catch!” A family member told officials Robinson had become more political and had criticized Kirk at a family dinner.

In the months following Kirk’s death, other conservatives have reported heightened dangers. Independent journalist Nick Shirley, who exposed alleged daycare fraud in Minnesota, said he received death threats referencing Kirk’s fate [6]. 

“They are saying, like, ‘Kirked—you’re going to be Kirked. You’re going to be Kirked,'” Shirley said on the PBD Podcast. He linked the threats to his investigations, which gained national attention late last year.

The violence has extended to federal law enforcement amid large-scale immigration enforcement operations. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security reported a 1,300% increase in assaults [7] on Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, a 3,200% rise in vehicular attacks, and an 8,000% surge in death threats from Jan. 21, 2025, to Jan. 7, 2026. Officials attributed the spike to rhetoric from sanctuary city politicians encouraging resistance to federal actions.

Federal officials warn the trend could worsen as enforcement continues. ICE has vowed to prosecute attackers fully, emphasizing that threats will not deter operations. 

Gaines, meanwhile, continues her advocacy [8], noting motherhood has only made her will to fight stronger. “The past three months now, it’s shifted my perspective on everything,” she said. “My daughter—she’ll be right here with me tomorrow on the Supreme Court steps, because that’s who we’re fighting for.”