A Michigan man was arrested and charged with making threats to kill President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and other high-ranking government officials.
What Happened: Russell Warren, 49, from Prudenville, was charged with making threats against Biden, Harris, and other senior government officials, reported The Hill on Monday. The threats were made through social media posts on X, where Warren also threatened journalists, celebrities, and 2024 presidential candidates.
Warren’s social media account, which is still public, contains numerous messages sent on Friday and Saturday, listing individuals he claimed would be killed in an operation he called “Operation Vengeance.” He also made threats to destroy several landmarks and locations, including the Smithsonian museums, Air Force One, Disney theme parks, One World Trade Center, and Mount Rushmore.
The U.S. Secret Service identified Warren through his IP address and arrested him on Monday. Warren had previously been arrested in 2022 for assault with a deadly weapon. The charge of threatening the president and other senior government officials carries a maximum prison sentence of five years. Warren is scheduled for his next court appearance on Friday.
Why It Matters: The incident comes at a time when the political climate in the U.S. is tense. Biden has been under pressure to address the issue of immigration, with a recent announcement that he would invoke emergency powers to seal the U.S. border upon Congressional approval of a new bipartisan immigration framework.
Meanwhile, a recent poll showed that in a hypothetical matchup, former President Donald Trump would have a significant lead over Biden, with 45% of the vote compared to Biden’s 40%. The poll also indicated that a potential obstacle to a 2024 presidential election rematch between Biden and Trump is former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, who remains in the race for the GOP nomination.
Image by White House Photography via Shutterstock
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