A former U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant has been arrested and charged after allegedly making threats to assassinate President Donald Trump. This individual, Peter Stinson, had a history of sharpshooting accolades and was taken into custody on Monday due to a series of violent messages directed at the president.
Stinson, who served in the Coast Guard until 2021 and later instructed for FEMA’s Incident Command Systems, is reported to have identified himself as a member of the Antifa movement. Prosecutors noted that he used his X account and another platform called Bluesky to post threats against Trump from 2020 up until now.
In one instance from April 2020, Stinson reacted to a post that suggested legal action against Trump. He responded with a statement hinting at violence: “somebody ought to do more than sue the orange mf’s a**,” adding that it should involve “a rifle and a scope, but I can’t talk about it here.”
He further expressed willingness to contribute financially for an assassination, stating, “I’d be willing to pitch in $100 for a contract. Who wants to join me?” He then went on to suggest that solving the problem would allow for a focus on the coronavirus pandemic instead.
The court documents detail multiple instances where Stinson used threatening language regarding Trump, including expressions implying he would take action himself or provide assistance to someone else willing to do so.
Even after a recent assassination attempt on Trump, Stinson continued to post violent remarks throughout the 2024 election cycle.
In one chilling message, he remarked, “Most of us are not capable. As noted before, I’m not a good enough shot. Very few people are. Somebody needs to learn this lesson… You want to play in the big leagues, you need the talent. Luck is not a plan… Execution is critical.”
As of now, Stinson has not entered a plea regarding these charges and was ordered detained by a magistrate judge in Virginia, with a detention hearing scheduled for Wednesday.
