Teaching Assistant Arrested for Threatening President Trump
A former teaching assistant at Illinois State University was taken into custody on Tuesday during a joint operation involving the FBI and Secret Service. Derek Lopez, aged 27, is accused of making threats against President Donald Trump.
The investigation into Lopez’s activities—both online and in person—lasted about a month and involved collaboration with the Illinois State University Police Department. An FBI memo revealed that Lopez is facing federal charges following allegations of threatening a sitting president.
He appeared in court for the first time on Wednesday afternoon. FBI Director Kash Patel described the threat as “heinous,” stating that such actions have no place in American society. He urged that anyone contemplating violence against public officials, or any citizen, should be aware that “the FBI will find you and bring you to justice.” Patel expressed gratitude towards local law enforcement for their assistance.
Lopez’s removal from his teaching assistant role came after a viral video showed him flipping a table belonging to members of Turning Point USA on campus. In the footage, he was seen conversing with another individual near a location where the conservative group was promoting an event featuring political comedian Alex Stein. Lopez reportedly stated, “Well, since Jesus did it, I know I have to do it too, right?” before flipping the table over and walking away with a casual, “Thank you, everyone, have a nice day.”
A spokesperson from Illinois State University confirmed that Lopez had been relieved of his teaching assistant position pending further investigation. While they typically do not comment on specific personnel issues, they acknowledged his termination on October 20.
Lopez had previously faced arrest by local authorities for the table-flipping incident, with charges of disorderly conduct and criminal damage to property already filed against him.
As of now, Illinois State University has opted not to provide any additional comments on the matter.
