California man indicted for threatening to assassinate Trump

In California, Thomas Eugene Streavel, a 73-year-old resident of Yucca Valley, was indicted for making repeated threats against then-President-elect Donald Trump following the November 2024 U.S. presidential election. The indictment, issued by a federal grand jury, reveals that Streavel allegedly posted numerous messages on his Facebook account expressing a desire to harm Trump both before and after the election. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California, his threats included an explicit declaration of intent to kill Trump, describing the act as his 'life's mission.' Streavel was arrested on June 3, 2025, and subsequently arraigned following his indictment. During the court proceedings, he pleaded not guilty to the charges, which comprise three specific counts of making threats against the President. If convicted, he faces a potential maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count. The judge released him on a $10,000 bond, and a trial date was scheduled for July 28, 2025. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli underscored the gravity of such threats, emphasizing their potential to incite violence amid a polarized political climate. The statements made by Streavel included alarming claims such as, 'Trump is a dead man walking,' and highlighted his intent to assassinate Trump. Posts on his Facebook revealed an unsettling fixation on Trump, with quotes indicating that he viewed the act of killing Trump as a 'way to make America great again.' These sentiments echo other instances of violence that have emerged in the political landscape, leading officials to take threats against public figures very seriously. The United States Secret Service was reportedly leading the investigation into Streavel, reflecting the heightened concern surrounding threats to political leaders, especially in light of previous assassination attempts. Attorney General Pamela Bondi remarked on the seriousness of threats against the President, recalling the two prior attempts on Trump's life as a rationale for prosecuting such threats to the fullest extent of the law. As the trial date approaches, the case has already drawn significant media attention, further entrenching the issue of political threats within the current sociopolitical landscape.