Federal prosecutors in Miami have charged a 32-year-old man with threatening to kill President Donald Trump after authorities say he spent months posting violent messages on social media aimed at the commander in chief and two top administration figures.
Nathaniel Sanders II of Miami Beach appeared in federal court on May 5, 2026, facing charges of threatening the president and transmitting threats across state lines. If convicted, Sanders could spend up to 10 years in federal prison.
Between January 28 and April 22, 2026, Sanders unleashed a barrage of violent posts and videos on X and Instagram targeting Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former Attorney General Pam Bondi, according to a criminal complaint filed by a Secret Service special agent.
Disturbing Videos Aimed At The First Lady
Among the most alarming content was an April 10 video on Instagram that appeared directed at First Lady Melania Trump. Sanders branded the president “the biggest pedophile” in the world, then made an ominous statement that drew serious concern from federal investigators.
“I don’t know what to do Melania, like, all I got is a gun. It’s the only thing I can use now is a gun,” Sanders said, according to the complaint.
Just two minutes after that post, Sanders uploaded another video focused on Rubio. Speaking partly in Spanish, he declared “yo no tengo miedo de nadie” — “I’m not scared of anyone” — before switching to English.
Seven days later, Sanders posted another video calling Trump an “orange pedophile a– pervert” and warning, “I’m going to kill you.” Two days after that, prosecutors say Sanders directed his fury at Bondi using his second Instagram account, posting threats including “Imma kill all y’all pedophiles” and “Immakill you.”
In another post aimed at the president, Sanders told Trump to “come find me” so that he “can stomp you in the ground.”
How The Investigation Unfolded
Federal authorities first learned of Sanders in January when a U.S. Capitol Police special agent alerted the Secret Service’s Protective Intelligence Operations Center to an unspecified threat he had made against Trump. At virtually the same moment — and without any connection to the Capitol Police tip — a Secret Service Open Source Intelligence Branch analyst discovered multiple posts from Sanders’ X account.
One of those posts threatened to “bomb” the White House. Minutes later, Sanders followed up with a chilling two-word message: “I mean it.”
Authorities linked the X account to Sanders and uncovered two Instagram accounts registered in his name. According to prosecutors, those accounts held numerous videos showing Sanders “complaining and speaking angrily about his hatred” for Trump, Rubio — who also serves as Acting National Security Advisor — and Bondi.
Law enforcement officers visited Sanders’ Miami Beach home in February to question him about the initial posts. He refused to speak with them, instead calling the officers “pedophiles,” the complaint says. The Secret Service special agent who prepared the filing later verified that Sanders was the individual appearing in all of the videos.
Prosecutors Draw A Hard Line
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida used the announcement to send a blunt message about the boundaries of permissible speech in an increasingly volatile political climate.
Special Agent in Charge Michael Townsend of the Secret Service’s Miami Field Office added his own warning to would-be offenders. “Making threats against the president of the United States is a federal crime, and we treat it with the seriousness it deserves every time,” Townsend said. The agency also cautioned that deleting posts, hiding behind a username, or firing off angry messages online does not make threats any less serious in the eyes of federal law. Despite the volume and severity of the alleged threats, the complaint contains no indication that Sanders took any concrete steps to carry out an attack. Still, federal authorities have moved swiftly, citing the explicit references to firearms, bombings and physical violence as more than enough to warrant charges.
What Comes Next In Court
Sanders was represented by a public defender at his initial hearing Monday, who did not immediately respond to an email request for comment, court records show. A detention hearing was set for Thursday, May 7, and his arraignment is scheduled for May 18.
This is not Sanders’ first brush with the law. In March 2026, he was arrested on a criminal mischief charge after destroying shelves at a South Beach vape shop, causing approximately $7,000 in damage.
The case is the latest in a string of alleged plots and threats against Trump that federal agents have intercepted since his return to the White House last year. While many such threats are dismissed as venting or political hyperbole, prosecutors made clear that posts naming firearms, bombs and specific officials cross a clear legal line — one Sanders is now accused of crossing repeatedly.
