Pennsylvania man charged for allegedly threatening to kill Trump before he took office

A 22-year-old Pennsylvania man was federally charged for allegedly threatening to kill then-President-elect Donald Trump before he took office, the Justice Department announced Wednesday. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania said Jacob Buckley, using a TikTok account under the name “Jacob_buckley,” wrote on Jan. 16, “I hate MAGA republicans bro on god I’ll kill all of them.”

He also wrote on the TikTok account, “I’m going to kill Trump,” and, “Bro we going into a literal oligarchy in 4 days and im going to kill Trump,” according to prosecutors. 

Buckley, of Port Matilda, was “charged by criminal information for threatening Donald J. Trump as the President-elect,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said, following an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service.

FEDERAL GRAND JURY INDICTS MAN FOR THREATENING TO ASSASSINATE TRUMP AFTER REELECTION 

“The maximum penalty upon conviction on the Information is 5 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and the imposition of a special assessment,” the office added. 

The development comes weeks after a Rhode Island man was charged for allegedly threatening to kill Trump and multiple members of his administration on Truth Social. 

RHODE ISLAND MAN CHARGED FOR ALLEGEDLY THREATENING TO KILL TRUMP, OTHER ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS 

The Department of Justice said in early July that 37-year-old Carl Montague was charged with threats against the president, interstate threats, threats to assault and kidnap, or murder of a U.S. official, judge or law enforcement officer. 

Montague was accused of writing a profanity-laced post on Truth Social on June 27, 2025, threatening to shoot and kill Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. 

The FBI later said in a criminal complaint that Montague does not own or have access to weapons, nor did he have plans, intentions or the means to travel to commit such violence. 

Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report.