A Chicago suburban man was charged Monday at the federal level for allegedly threatening to kill President Donald Trump through social media posts, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois said.

The accused, identified as Trent Schneider, 57, of Winthrop Harbor Winthrop Harbor, was formally charged in a criminal complaint for the alleged crime of threatening to cause harm to a person in interstate commerce. According to the complaint, Schneider recorded a selfie-type video that she posted on Instagram on October 16, in which she uttered phrases that prosecutors consider direct threats. In the video, the defendant allegedly said, “I’m going to get some guns. I know where I can get a bunch of fucking guns and I’m going to take care of this myself,” and added, “People have to die… especially you, Trump. You should be executed,” the document states.

Repetition and dissemination that prompted the complaint

The prosecution asserts that the same video, with superimposed text that included the phrase “THIS IS NOT A THREAT!!!… @realDonaldTrump SHOULD BE EXECUTED!!!”, was posted by Schneider approximately 18 times between October 16 and 21, which allegedly increased public alarm.

A Florida resident who saw the video on October 16 alerted the authorities, according to the complaint. Following the report, federal agents carried out the procedures that culminated in Schneider's arrest on Monday morning.

Preventive Detention and Possible Sanctions

A federal judge in Chicago ordered the defendant's preventive detention after his initial appearance. Schneider is scheduled to appear in court again next Thursday for a hearing related to the detention measure.

The charge he faces carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison if convicted, according to sources at the Department of Justice.The defendant's legal representation was not immediately known.

Context and Institutional Reaction

Federal authorities routinely investigate and rigorously prosecute threats directed at public figures, especially when they occur through digital platforms and are disseminated across state lines. Schneider's case adds to a series of recent investigations in which social media has served both for the dissemination of threats and for prompt reporting by witnesses and citizens.

The investigation remains open, and prosecutors indicated they will provide further details as the legal process progresses.