Federal prosecutors in South Florida have charged a 32-year-old Miami Beach resident with threatening President Donald Trump and other top administration officials after he allegedly posted a stream of violent messages on social media over several months.
Nathaniel Sanders II appeared in Miami federal court on May 4, 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.
A Secret Service special agent detailed in a criminal complaint how Sanders used his X and Instagram accounts to post violent threats and videos aimed at the president, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former Attorney General Pam Bondi from Jan. 28 through April 22, 2026.
Disturbing Videos Aimed at the First Lady
Among the most alarming material was an April 10 Instagram video directed at First Lady Melania Trump. Sanders referred to the president as “the biggest pedophile” in the world before making a statement referenced in the complaint.
“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 targeting Rubio, who also serves as Acting National Security Adviser. Sanders spoke partially in Spanish, stating “yo no tengo miedo de nadie” — “I’m not scared of anyone” — before switching to English.
About a week later, Sanders posted another video calling Trump an “orange pedophile *** pervert” and warning, “I’m going to kill you.” Two days after that, prosecutors say Sanders directed his fury at Bondi through his second Instagram account, posting threats including “Imma kill all y’all pedophiles” and “Imma kill 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
The investigation began in January when a U.S. Capitol Police special agent notified the Secret Service’s Protective Intelligence Operations Center about an unspecified threat Sanders had made against Trump. Nearly simultaneously—and independently of the Capitol Police alert—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.”
Federal agents traced the X account to Sanders and identified two Instagram accounts registered in his name. Those accounts contained numerous videos showing Sanders “complaining and speaking angrily about his hatred” for Trump, Rubio and Bondi.
In February, law enforcement officers visited Sanders’ Miami Beach residence to question him about the initial posts. He refused to cooperate, instead calling the officers “pedophiles,” according to the complaint. The Secret Service special agent who authored the complaint later confirmed that Sanders was the individual depicted 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 warned that threats against the president are treated as serious federal crimes, regardless of whether they are posted anonymously, deleted later or made in anger online. 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 on May 4 but the attorney did not immediately respond to an email request for comment, court records show. A detention hearing was set for May 7, and his arraignment was 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.