Former Airman Arrested for Threatening President Trump

U.S. Secret Service agents have arrested a former U.S. Air Force airman from Michigan, Joshua Levi Young, for allegedly threatening to kill President Donald Trump over the administration’s policies regarding LGBTQ+ rights. The arrest, which took place on October 7, 2023, follows a series of threats made by Young that surfaced in federal court records unsealed on Thursday.

Young, 21, from Ishpeming, Michigan, is accused of making multiple threats since January 2023, including statements such as “Death to Trump” and “Kill the dictator.” He faces charges of threatening to kill and injure the president, as well as transmitting an interstate threat, both of which are classified as five-year felonies.

During a detention hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Maarten Vermaat ordered Young to be held without bond. His attorney, Elizabeth LaCosse, has not yet commented on the case. This incident is part of a broader trend of increasing violent antigovernment extremism in Michigan and elsewhere, which has included two assassination attempts targeting Trump since last year.

The investigation began with an anonymous tip received in mid-September, alerting authorities to threats made by Young on Facebook. Following this tip, Secret Service investigators discovered additional threats on his social media accounts, including Instagram and X. One of his posts stated, “I am going to kill Trump raise him from the dead and kill him again.”

According to Special Agent Adam Rogers, public records led investigators to identify Young as the author of these posts. During questioning, Young admitted to making the threats and expressed his frustration with Trump’s policies. He stated, “I don’t like what he’s doing,” and explained that as a gay/non-binary individual, he was angered by the administration’s stance on LGBTQ+ rights. Young also expressed his discontent with the government’s handling of immigration issues, stating, “I hurt when others hurt.”

In the course of the investigation, authorities searched Young’s home and seized electronic devices. Additionally, an employee at a Veterans’ Affairs clinic in Ishpeming reported that Young had visited and expressed a desire for legal assistance, indicating he was considering fleeing the country. The employee noted that Young was interested in understanding which countries do not extradite to the United States.

The case underscores ongoing concerns about the rise of violent threats and extremism in the United States, particularly in relation to political figures and policies. As this investigation progresses, it remains to be seen how the legal proceedings will unfold for Young and what implications this case may have for broader discussions around political discourse and safety.