FILE – President Donald Trump speaks to the media, Friday, June 27, 2025, in the briefing room of the White House in Washington (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File).
A Texas man is accused of threatening a staffer for President Donald Trump in a series of chilling, curse-laden voicemails — allegedly saying, “I”m going to cut your f—ing head off, b—” and “then I’m going to kill your f—ing family,” according to federal prosecutors, among other things.
Thomas Crouse, of Austin, is charged with transmitting an interstate communication containing a threat to injure the person of another after allegedly leaving multiple messages on the presidential worker’s phone on Aug. 25 and Aug. 26, the Justice Department reports.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas announced his arrest in a press release Thursday and detailed in a federal complaint, which features comments from at least five voicemails that were left, what Crouse allegedly said to the staffer.
The victim, who has not been publicly named, is identified as “VI.”
“Hey, if this is f—ing [stated VI’s name] whatever man, the piece of f—ing shit that’s [references VI’s role on the President of the United States’ staff]. If this is you, I’m going to find you, and I’m going to cut your f—ing head off, b—,” Crouse allegedly said.
“I’m going to kill you, and then I’m going to kill your f—ing family, b—. F— you,” Crouse continued, using the *67 feature to conceal his number, per prosecutors.
The Austinite allegedly left the voicemail on Aug. 25 and was then contacted about it by FBI personnel in the Washington, D.C., field office — where the staffer is based — on Aug. 26. He claimed to be working in the “tech and vaping industry” and that he “had no intent on carrying out the violence,” according to the complaint.
“Crouse showed FBI agents his phone log, allowed them to take a photo, and added that it is uncertain what he does late at night while smoking weed,” the complaint says. “FBI agents urged Crouse to cease making direct threats to which Crouse agreed.”
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Later that day, however, Crouse allegedly changed his mind.
“Around 3:00pm Eastern time, VI received a series of five voicemails believed to be from Crouse as it resembled his voice and mentioned recent events,” the complaint alleges, listing out what Crouse is accused of saying.
“Dude, telling the f—ing FBI, you’s a b—,” Crouse allegedly told the man in the first of five different messages, according to prosecutors. “Let me catch you in public; I’ll knock you the f— out, b—,” he allegedly said. “What’s it like being such a little f—ing p—y b—? If I saw your ass in public, I’d knock you the f— out, bro.”
FBI agents playing a voicemail containing threats that were allegedly made by Thomas Crouse against a Trump staffer (U.S. Attorney’s Office).
By the third voicemail, Crouse allegedly went from threatening the man to urging him to “kill” himself as a service to the American people, per prosecutors.
“You want to do something good for this world? Kill yourself, man. You want to… hide behind people like the FBI? Put a gun in your mouth,” Crouse allegedly said. “I promise you, nobody loves you. Nobody gives a shit about you. Improve the lives of every American by f—ng killing yourself.”
Crouse allegedly concluded his tirade by letting the man know he wasn’t going to stop.
“Yeah, I’ll call you every f—ing day, multiple times a day, tell you to kill yourself,” Crouse said, according to the complaint. “That f—ing FBI shit, nothing’s going to happen. Kill yourself. There’s nothing they can do… Okay, I can’t make direct threats against you. Kill yourself.”
In his fifth and last voicemail, Crouse allegedly said, “I’ll leave a million messages. I don’t give a f—. I won’t make no threats; I’ll just tell you you’re a worthless piece of s— and you should put a f—ing gun in your mouth… Kill yourself. It’ll be the only good you’ve ever done for the world.”
Crouse was arrested Wednesday, Aug. 27, after the staffer notified the FBI again about the new messages, the U.S. Attorney’s Office says.
Crouse faces up to five years in prison if convicted.
