Photo: Alamy
A Florida man has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly threatening to kill President Donald Trump, Rep. Eric Swalwell and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, according to court documents.
Diego Villavicencio faces a four-count indictment accusing him of making violent threats against government officials and others through social media posts.
Prosecutors say Villavicencio threatened a member of Congress by writing, “I’ll kill you and your family and you won’t do anything about it.” He also allegedly threatened another individual, saying the person would “be shot and killed on Sept. 23.”
In another message cited in the indictment, Villavicencio allegedly threatened Trump, writing: “I’ll be driving there to take a couple of shots at Trump and some other corrupt plutocrats.”
Swalwell later confirmed that he was the unnamed member of Congress referenced in the indictment. The California Democrat, who has been a vocal critic of Trump and is a candidate for governor in 2026, has previously received threats and served as an impeachment manager during President Trump’s second impeachment trial.
Investigators believe the second unnamed target referenced in the indictment was Powell. Although the Federal Reserve chairman was not identified by name in the indictment, an FBI affidavit said one post included the message “Jerome is next.”
The threat was reported to the FBI by a senior special agent with the Federal Reserve Board’s Protective Services Unit before Powell was scheduled to speak at the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Economic Outlook Luncheon on Sept. 23, according to the affidavit.
A federal judge ordered Villavicencio held in custody after his arrest last month. His trial is scheduled to begin in May. An attorney representing him did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
According to the FBI affidavit, an X account believed to belong to Villavicencio posted messages calling for violent acts against government officials and business leaders.
One post cited by investigators read: “Death to America Bomb America Bomb the federal reserve Kill politicians Kill CEOs Shoot Joe Biden Shoot [redacted] Shoot Donald Trump END CAPITALISM FREE THE PEOPLE.”
