A Miami Beach man is staring down federal charges after allegedly waging a months-long online campaign of violent threats against President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Attorney General Pam Bondi, prosecutors announced on Monday.
On May 5, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida announced that 32-year-old Nathaniel Sanders II appeared before a Miami federal court for the first time following charges of threatening the President and transmitting threats across state lines. Should Sanders be found guilty, he faces a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years in the federal system.
According to a criminal complaint authored by a Secret Service special agent, Sanders flooded his X and Instagram accounts with violent posts and videos targeting the president and other senior administration officials between January 28 and April 22.
How The Investigation Unfolded
The probe began in January when a U.S. Capitol Police special agent flagged an unspecified threat Sanders allegedly made against Trump to the Secret Service’s Protective Intelligence Operations Center. Within minutes — and independently of the Capitol Police tip — an analyst with the Secret Service’s Open Source Intelligence Branch surfaced multiple posts from Sanders’ X account.
One of those posts threatened to “bomb” the White House, according to the complaint. Minutes later, Sanders allegedly followed up with a chilling two-word message: “I mean it.”
Investigators traced the X account back to Sanders and identified two Instagram accounts in his name. Those accounts, prosecutors said, contained a trove of videos of Sanders “complaining and speaking angrily about his hatred” for Trump, Rubio — who also serves as Acting National Security Advisor — and Bondi.
Law enforcement officers went to Sanders’ Miami Beach home in February to interview him about the initial posts. He refused to talk, instead calling the officers “pedophiles,” the complaint says. The Secret Service special agent who authored the filing later confirmed that Sanders was the man depicted in all of the videos.
Disturbing Videos Aimed At The First Lady
One of the most unsettling clips, posted April 10 to Instagram, appeared to be addressed directly to First Lady Melania Trump. In the video, Sanders called the president “the biggest pedophile” in the world before delivering a line that has prompted serious alarm among federal investigators.
“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.
Two minutes later, Sanders allegedly posted another video, this one focused on Rubio. He spoke in Spanish at one point, declaring “yo no tengo miedo de nadie” — “I’m not scared of anyone” — before pivoting to English.
A week later, Sanders allegedly posted yet another video, this time calling Trump an “orange pedophile a– pervert” and warning, “I’m going to kill you.” Two days after that, prosecutors say, Sanders turned his rage on Bondi from his second Instagram account, posting threats including “Imma kill all y’all pedophiles” and “Immakill you.”
In another post aimed at the president, Sanders allegedly told Trump to “come find me” so that he “can stomp you in the ground.”
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.
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
A public defender represented Sanders at his initial hearing on Monday but did not immediately respond to an email request for comment, court records show. A detention hearing is scheduled for Thursday morning, with his arraignment set for May 18.
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.
Sanders remains in custody pending Thursday’s hearing, where a federal magistrate will decide whether he can be released before trial.
