President Donald Trump speaks with reporters before departing on Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House, Thursday, April 16, 2026, in Washington (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta).
A Florida man allegedly sent threatening messages to “whitehouse.gov,” saying he would kill President Donald Trump “in cold blood” and “blow the white house up” within a week of sending them, federal prosecutors say.
The U.S. Justice Department says Ryan Brown, 27, of Crescent City, has been indicted by a grand jury and taken into custody on two counts of threatening to kill the president of the United States. Brown allegedly sent his threats in messages to “whitehouse.gov,” according to the DOJ.
“Guess what Donald Trump/America, I will blow the white house up in approximately 1 week from today,” Brown vowed on April 16, according to his federal indictment.
Prosecutors say Brown “did knowingly and willfully make a threat to take the life of and inflict bodily harm upon the president of the United States” in at least two messages, with the other coming on May 25.
“The defendant transmitted an online message to “whitehouse.gov,’ stating, in part, that he would kill the president in cold blood,” according to the indictment.
Prosecutors allege that Brown made the comments “with the intent to communicate a true threat of violence and with recklessness as to whether the communication would be viewed as a true threat of violence.”
The U.S. Secret Service investigated Brown’s statements. He is being prosecuted in the Middle District of Florida.
If convicted, Brown would face up to five years in federal prison for each count of threatening to kill the president. His next court date is July 14, and he is scheduled to go on trial in early August.
Federal prosecutors moved for Brown’s release on bond, subject to the presentation of a suitable third-party custodian. Brown’s lawyer was granted a continuance to allow additional time to identify and present a suitable custodian. A review hearing was set for Monday, but Brown was unable to produce a custodian, so he waived the hearing.
Brown was arraigned and ordered to remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. He has pleaded not guilty.
