BAY CITY, MICHIGAN—On January 28, Russell Douglas Warren, 48, of Prudenville, Michigan was charged in federal court after posting threats on the X social media platform reportedly offering to hang President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Government officials were alerted, and able to obtain IP information from X due to the nature of the threats that were made on January 25 and January 27. The threats were tracked to Warren.
Reports indicate that the initial verbiage of the threats suggests federal government buildings in Washington DC be evacuated because “We’re going to drop a ****ing bomb on it.”
There is no indication that the public was not notified of the threats until it was leaked to the media on Monday, January 29. All commentary has since been taken down.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Michigan, Warren’s detention hearing has been scheduled for February 2, 2024.
Multiple news outlets have reported an uptick in threats against government officials in 2023, including Biden, Harris, California Governor Gavin Newsom, New York attorney Letitia James, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and others.
In August of 2023, Craig D. Robertson of Utah was shot and killed during an arrest after allegedly making threats to kill Bragg and Biden. The threats were reportedly made before Biden’s scheduled trip to Utah. The FBI reported that Robertson resisted arrest.
One news outlet blamed former President Donald J. Trump for the increase in threats. Trump has been relentlessly investigated since 2015. There is no shortage of threats against him either.
Actor Johnny Depp included what sounded like a death threat in his comedy routine in June of 2017.
“When was the last time an actor assassinated a President? I want to clarify, I’m not an actor. I lie for a living. However, it’s been a while, and maybe it’s time.” He later publicly apologized.
“I apologize for the bad joke I attempted last night in poor taste about President Trump. It did not come out as intended, and I intended no malice. I’m only trying to amuse, not to harm anyone,” Depp stated.
In November 2018, actor Tom Arnold had members of the Secret Service show up at his door after he made threats against President Trump and his son Donald Trump Jr. on social media.
In 2017, Kathy Griffin garnered conspiracy charges and a two-month federal investigation after she held up the likings of a bloody, scalped Trump on Saturday Night Live.
Rapper Snoop Dogg reportedly made a violent video portraying the death of Trump, and referring to it as, “Ronald Klump.” Trump responded with the words, “Jail Time,” on Twitter. Rapper Bow-Wow then chimed in with threats against Trump and derogatory remarks against the beautiful First Lady, Melania Trump … “Before we pimp your wife and make her work for us.” Fact-checkers clarified that there are no reports of an arrest in this case though it was initially reported otherwise.
Under 18 U.S. Code 871, threatening the President is a Class E felony with a maximum sentence of five years prison time, a $250,000 fine, and three years’ supervised release.
