Suburban Chicago man sentenced for threatening to kill President Donald Trump, prosecutors say
Chicago area man threatened to kill President Trump on Instagram, prosecutors say
A suburban Chicago man is in federal custody after authorities said he posted an online threat to President Donald Trump.
CHICAGO - A suburban Chicago man was sentenced Wednesday to three years and two months in federal prison after being convicted of threatening to kill President Donald Trump and other public officials, according to federal prosecutors.
The backstory:
Federal prosecutors said Trent Schneider, 58, posted an Instagram video on Oct. 21, 2025, in which he threatened violence against judges, doctors, lawyers, police officers and President Donald Trump.
Pictured is Trent Schneider, 57. (FOX 32 )
According to prosecutors, Schneider said people responsible for perceived wrongdoing "should be executed" and claimed he planned to obtain firearms. Prosecutors said he also directed a threat at Trump, saying the president "should be executed."
Later that day, Schneider appeared in Lake County court for a pending foreclosure case, where prosecutors said he told a judge he would burn down the courthouse.
Earlier this year, a federal jury in Chicago convicted Schneider of transmitting a true threat in interstate commerce to injure another person.
On Wednesday, a federal judge sentenced him to three years and two months in prison.
What they're saying:
"As I have repeatedly stated since becoming U.S. Attorney, threats against public officials are an attack on our democracy and must be met with swift and serious consequences," said U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros. "The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office is working in lockstep with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to vigorously investigate and prosecute criminal threats of violence, including political violence. Those who cross the line into such conduct and activity will not find safe haven in the Northern District of Illinois."
Acting U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Morley said protecting the president and other agency protectees remains the agency's top priority.
"Safeguarding the President of the United States and all our protectees is the U.S. Secret Service’s top priority, as this case demonstrates," said Acting SAIC Morley. "Political violence has no place in civil society, and we will vigorously pursue threats against our protectees. I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois for its diligent prosecution in this important case. I also thank our law enforcement partners at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Winthrop Harbor Police Department for their support and collaboration throughout this investigation."
The Source: The information in this article was provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois.