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By Andrew Stanton and Amanda Castro
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A Rhode Island man was arrested for allegedly posting social media death threats against President Donald Trump and other administration officials, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Wednesday.
The Context
The U.S. has seen an uptick in political violence over the past few years, including the assassination of a Democratic Minnesota lawmaker last month and an attempted shooting of Trump during a Pennsylvania rally last year. There have been other assassination threats made against Trump since his return to the White House this year.
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What To Know
Prosecutors allege that 37-year-old Carl D. Montague posted violent threats on Truth Social against Trump, Attorney General Pamela Bondi and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller on June 27.
Hewas arrested without incident and faces multiple charges, including threats against the president and interstate threats to assault or kill federal officials. According to court documents, the June 27 post was laced with profanity and explicitly threatened gun violence.
The complaint reads: "Montague was upset with current politics and expressed his frustrations via Truth Social. Montague did not have a specific reason to direct his threat towards DCOS Miller and AG Bondi. Montague observed their names in prior threads and posts he was viewing and then submitted his post. Montague claimed he could not identify AG Bondi. Montague expressed remorse for his post."
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Trump Media and Technology, the parent organization of Truth Social, alerted U.S. Secret Service of the alleged threat on June 27 and law enforcement began to investigate, according to a criminal complaint.
Montague was arrested on June 30 in an apartment building associated with a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting individuals re-entering society after being incarcerated.
He allegedly said he was "smoking a lot of marijuana when he posted the
threat" and deleted the account after sending the message, according to the complaint. He was allegedly "upset with current politics and expressed his frustrations via Truth Social" and expressed remorse for the post.
He allegedly said he had no intention of shooting or inflicting violence on any officials and does not have access to any weapons, the complaint said.
He is being represented by a public defender.
Newsweek reached out to the Federal Public Defender Office for Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island for comment via email.
There have been several instances of political violence over the past year. In June, Minnesota Democratic state Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were fatally shot in what Governor Tim Walz described as an "act of targeted political violence."
On July 13, 2024, a shooter opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, striking the president's ear. There was a second assassination attempt while he was golfing at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on September 15, 2024.
What Happens Next
Montague was set to appear before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Amy E. Moses on Wednesday afternoon. Authorities say the investigation involves the FBI, U.S. Secret Service and local police.
Update 7/9/25, 1:20 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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