A 37-year-old Providence man was arrested Wednesday, July 9, on federal charges for allegedly threatening to kill President Donald Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller in a profanity-laced post on Truth Social.
Carl D. Montague faces charges of threats against the president, interstate threats, and threats to assault, kidnap, or murder a United States official, judge, or law enforcement officer. Acting Rhode Island United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom announced the charges following Montague’s arrest without incident Wednesday morning.
According to court documents, Montague posted the threatening message on Truth Social on June 27, 2025. The post contained explicit threats of gun violence against the three officials. Trump Media and Technology, the parent company of Truth Social, alerted the United States Secret Service about the threatening post at 11:30 p.m. on June 27.
Federal agents tracked the IP address associated with the threatening post to a residence on Plainfield Street in Providence. The address was linked to Open Doors, a nonprofit organization that assists individuals re-entering society after incarceration. Investigators attempted to locate Montague at the facility on June 30.
When agents first approached the second-floor apartment of a friend where Montague was believed to be staying, the friend initially denied knowing Montague’s whereabouts. However, another resident indicated that Montague was most likely in that apartment and mentioned that he occasionally physically assaults the friend.
Federal agents returned to the apartment with building management and discovered Montague hiding in the bathtub. Upon contact, he began confessing to making threats before agents were able to introduce themselves or explain why they were there. Montague “began confessing to making threats before agents were able to introduce themselves.”
During questioning, Montague admitted he was responsible for the Truth Social post and indicated he was smoking a lot of marijuana when he posted the threat. He claimed he deleted his Truth Social account after sending the message and expressed that he was upset with current politics, using the platform to express his frustrations.
Montague told investigators he did not have a specific reason to direct his threat toward Miller and Bondi, noting that he observed their names in prior threads and posts he was viewing before submitting his post. He claimed he could not identify Bondi and expressed remorse for his message.
The suspect indicated he had no intentions of shooting or inflicting violence on any government officials and does not own or have access to any weapons. According to the criminal complaint, Montague did not have plans, intentions, or the means to travel to conduct violence.
Montague appeared before United States District Court Magistrate Judge Amy E. Moses on Wednesday afternoon in Providence. He waived his right to a preliminary hearing and was not asked to enter a plea.
Prosecutors requested that Montague be held in custody, citing the explicit nature of the threats and his criminal history. Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan noted that Montague had six bail violations in prior cases over the past 10-plus years. His criminal record includes several assault charges and tampering with vehicles, though his defense attorney indicated these were solely misdemeanor convictions.
Defense attorney Joanne M. Daley argued for Montague’s release, noting that authorities did not immediately arrest him after speaking to him and that in the nine days between the interview and his arrest, he did not act on the alleged threats or attempt to flee. She also revealed that Montague lost his job due to cuts to community grants, subsequently losing his health insurance and access to medications.
Judge Moses determined prosecutors did not meet the burden to prove Montague must be held and ordered his release with strict conditions. These include residing at Open Doors in one of its residential programs, receiving mental health treatment, having no contact with the threatened individuals, prohibition from possessing firearms, drugs, or alcohol, and remaining within Rhode Island.
Additional conditions require Montague to surrender his passport and seek employment. He must also abstain from alcohol and drugs not prescribed to him. Two of the charges carry prison terms of up to five years upon conviction, while the third carries a sentence of up to 10 years.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, United States Secret Service, and Providence Police Department. Montague previously worked at Project Weber/Renew, a safe injection site in Providence, but employees indicated he had not worked with the organization for at least a year.
