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A Texas man was arrested Thursday night after allegedly threatening to assassinate President Donald Trump in a social media post, according to federal officials.
Robert Herrera, 52, was taken into custody by San Antonio police after investigators said he posted a threat on Facebook in response to an article about Trump’s upcoming trip to the Texas Hill Country.
The post, which included a photo of Trump surrounded by Secret Service agents after last year’s assassination attempt, stated: “I won’t miss,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas said Friday.
The alleged threat was made three days before the anniversary of the July 13, 2024, shooting that nearly took the president’s life.
According to prosecutors, another Facebook user responded to Herrera’s post by saying, “You won’t get the chance.” Herrera then allegedly replied, “I’ll just come for you,” and shared a photo of an assault rifle with a loaded magazine.
Federal authorities said Herrera is facing charges of threatening to assassinate the president and transmitting interstate threats. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison if convicted.
“I want to thank Chief McManus and his team at SAPD for their swift response to this threat,” U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons said in a statement. “To be clear, these types of threats will not be taken lightly, and we will always take a swift, aggressive approach, as was done here.”
U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Brian Gibson of the San Antonio Field Office said the agency takes such threats seriously.
“Investigating threats towards individuals under Secret Service protection are treated as our highest priority,” Gibson said. “This is one of the countless reasons the Secret Service prides ourselves on forging and maintaining relationships with other law enforcement agencies.”
Aaron Tapp, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office, said threats of violence fall outside the protections of free speech.
“While the FBI fully supports and defends every American’s right to free speech, it is important to understand that threatening violence against any individual is not constitutionally protected speech; it is a federal crime,” Tapp said.
Herrera remains in custody pending further proceedings.