An Illinois man is under federal investigation after allegedly making threats against President Donald Trump through a series of explicit Instagram videos. This has led to charges of making interstate death threats against public officials, as confirmed by federal authorities.
Trent Schneider, a 57-year-old from Winthrop Harbor, Illinois, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the Northern District of Illinois on October 31, which was unsealed on Monday. The complaint states that he posed a legitimate threat of harm in interstate commerce.
Schneider’s posts included violent videos and memes calling for Trump’s execution, coinciding with impending foreclosure on his home. In one video dated October 16, he directly targets judges, doctors, lawyers, and law enforcement, stating, “People like me have suffered real, terrible crimes. They all should be killed.” He continues, suggesting he plans to take matters into his own hands if he doesn’t see action soon.
He reportedly reposted the same video nearly twenty times over several days, tagging Trump Tower Chicago each time. His posts consistently included a similar caption, stressing that he had lost everything and that Trump should be executed.
A viewer in Florida, disturbed by one of Schneider’s videos, alerted the authorities, prompting an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service, which then identified Schneider’s Instagram account. Investigators noted that his threats were visible across the country.
When officers visited Schneider’s home in Winthrop Harbor on October 22, they spotted a camera set up on a tripod. Upon questioning him, he allegedly confronted the officers and later posted a video of them leaving, echoing his previous threats against Trump.
This is not Schneider’s first brush with the law. He had previous encounters concerning violent posts aimed at public officials and was arrested last year for allegedly making threats to shoot up a T-Mobile store. In 2023, a court determined he was unfit to stand trial.
Schneider’s anger seems to stem from his home’s foreclosure, which was set for auction on November 4. In his messages, he expressed feelings of having “lost everything” due to what he perceives as corruption among various political and judicial figures.
When arrested on Monday, a SWAT team assisted local law enforcement. If convicted, Schneider could face up to five years in federal prison and a fine reaching $250,000, as stated by the U.S. Department of Justice.
