Watch: Trump describes assassination attempt in RNC speech
In his opening remarks at the Republican National Convention, former President Donald Trump described the assassination attempt at a campaign rally.
A Pennsylvania man who resides in the same town where a would-be assassin fired gunshots at President Donald Trump was charged by federal agents with making threats on YouTube to murder the president other U.S. officials, the Justice Department announced.
Shawn Monper, 32, was charged with four counts of influencing, impeding or retaliating against a federal official after he posted comments under several YouTube videos threatening to kill or injure Trump and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, the Justice Department said Friday.
Federal prosecutors said that Google, YouTube’s parent company, sent the FBI an emergency disclosure containing information about Monper’s comments that he made under the account name “Mr Satan.” The comments were posted between January and April.
“Rest assured that whenever and wherever threats of assassination or mass violence occur, this Department of Justice will find, arrest, and prosecute the suspect to the fullest extent of the law and seek the maximum appropriate punishment,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement.
Monper is a resident of Butler, Pennsylvania, the same city where Thomas Matthew Crooks began shooting at Trump during a July 2024 campaign rally. Trump was wounded; Corey Comperatore, an attendee, was killed and two attendees were injured. Secret Service snipers fatally shot Crooks moments later.
A portrait of Trump pumping his fist after the attempt is hanging in the White House. Artist Marc Lipp created the artwork based on Associated Press photographer Evan Vucci’s image, which quickly circulated on social media and in numerous merchandise.
According to prosecutors, Monper obtained a firearms permit in January, days after Trump’s inauguration and commented in February about stockpiling guns and ammunition. An attorney for Monper didn’t immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.
Man declares ICE ‘terrorists’ in threats
According to federal prosecutors, Monper posted the comments on four separate YouTube videos that spoke about Trump’s State of the Union message, immigration policies and his use of the Justice Department.
In one video, Monper commented, “we just need to start killing people,” naming Trump, Musk, federal department secretaries and “anyone who stands in the way,” prosecutors wrote.
“Remember, we are the majority, MAGA is a minority of the country, and by the time its time to make the move, they will be weakened, many will be crush by these policies, and they will want revenge too. American Revolution 2.0 (sic),” prosecutors say Monper wrote on Feb. 17.
He commented a few weeks later under a video summarizing Trump’s address to Congress that he’s going to “assassinate” Trump himself. Trump has been the target of two assassination attempts, one in Pennsylvania and another in September at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Several people have been charged for threatening or plotting to kill Trump.
Monper shifted focus to ICE, calling the agency “terrorists” on March 18 and telling people they must be killed, prosecutors wrote. Weeks later, Monper repeated the threat.
“If I see an armed ice agent, I will consider it a domestic terrorist, and an active shooter and open fire on them (sic),” prosecutors say he wrote on April 1.
The FBI and Butler Township Police Department arrested Monper on April 9.
Contact reporter Krystal Nurse at [email protected]. Follow her on X @KrystalRNurse, and on BlueSky @krystalrnuse.bsky.social.