Arrest of Instagram User for Threatening President Trump

A man with a troubling history of making violent threats was arrested after he posted multiple videos claiming he intended to “execute” President Trump, as federal authorities have detailed.

Trent Schneider, age 57, was taken into custody on Monday during a SWAT operation at his home, located in a suburb of Chicago. His bizarre claims included assertions that the president was merely an actor with multiple shadows, according to legal documents.

In one of the videos, which he shared at least 18 times within a week, he expressed, “I’m going to get a gun. I know where you can get a lot of guns, and I’m going to take care of myself.”

He reportedly stated, “I’m tired of you scammers. People need to die and will die. You all are fucked, especially Trump. You should be executed.”

Previously, Schneider had been questioned by the Secret Service in 2022 regarding unspecified threats against public officials. That year, he was also arrested for allegedly threatening to “shoot up” a T-Mobile store but was found unfit to stand trial, as noted by authorities.

His latest outbursts seem partly fueled by his home being in foreclosure, set to be auctioned off soon, according to federal reports. In one post, he seemingly blamed his situation, claiming, “This is not a threat!!! @realDonaldTrump should be executed because I lost everything and the auction date for my house is April 11, 2025!!!”

It appears a concerned citizen from Florida reported the unsettling videos to law enforcement. When federal agents visited Schneider’s residence in Winthrop Harbor on October 22, he was reportedly shouting at them to leave. After about an hour, he left his home, and officers managed to film the encounter. Eventually, he was arrested by the SWAT team without any further incident on Monday, although it remains unclear why there was a delay before his arrest.