A Miami Beach man is facing federal charges after prosecutors say his social media posts allegedly threatened to assassinate President Donald Trump and other high-profile officials — a reminder that posting recklessly online can have unintended consequences far beyond a comment section.
Federal prosecutors announced Monday that 32-year-old Nathaniel Sanders II appeared in court after investigators accused him of making repeated threats on X and Instagram between January and April 2026.
According to court records, the alleged threats targeted Trump, Secretary of State and Acting National Security Advisor Marco Rubio and former Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
Prosecutors charged Sanders with threatening the president of the United States and transmitting threats in interstate commerce. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in federal prison.
“Threats against public officials are not political speech,” U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones said in a statement. “They are serious federal crimes that endanger public safety and the rule of law.”
The U.S. Secret Service said the case serves as a warning for people who believe deleting a post, hiding behind a username or firing off angry messages online somehow makes threats less serious.
“Making threats against the President of the United States is a federal crime, and we treat it with the seriousness it deserves every time,” said Michael Townsend, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Miami field office.
Authorities said the investigation involved the Secret Service, U.S. Capitol Police, Diplomatic Security Service and the Miami Beach Police Department.
And while social media has become the internet’s unofficial headquarters for venting, memes and midnight political arguments, federal investigators say alleged threats — especially against public officials — are something entirely different.
Court records show the case is being prosecuted in the Southern District of Florida.
As with all criminal cases, Sanders is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
