WASHINGTON — August 16, 2026
Federal authorities are advancing prosecutions in two separate, high-profile cases involving severe threats and attempted violence directed at President Donald Trump and other government officials.
In the first case, the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service arrested Raymond Eugene Chandler III at his home in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania. Chandler, who operates a website claiming he is a candidate challenging Senator John Fetterman in the 2028 Democratic primary, faces two federal felony charges for threatening a federal official and their family.
According to an unsealed federal affidavit, Chandler left a series of escalating, violent voicemails for an unidentified member of Congress. In a message left on April 18, Chandler allegedly described a scenario in which the lawmaker and his daughter would be violently killed by a mob, citing extreme wealth inequality as justification. In a subsequent voicemail on April 29, Chandler explicitly urged the congressional member to assassinate President Trump, referring to the president as the “antichrist”. Following the threats, additional safety measures were implemented for several U.S. officials.
Concurrently, the Department of Justice continues its prosecution of Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old resident of Torrance, California, for his role in the unprecedented shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on April 25.
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According to the federal indictment, Allen traveled cross-country heavily armed, arriving at the Washington Hilton with a 12-gauge shotgun and a .38 caliber pistol. Shortly before 8:40 p.m., Allen breached a security checkpoint leading to the ballroom and shot a U.S. Secret Service officer in the chest. The officer survived due to a ballistic vest and quickly returned fire, neutralizing the attacker.
Allen is facing multiple severe federal charges, including Attempt to Assassinate the President of the United States and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. In a digital manifesto emailed shortly before the attack, Allen referred to himself as a “Friendly Federal Assassin”.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who is overseeing the prosecution in the District of Columbia, emphasized the severity of the attack.
“Today’s indictment underscores a simple truth: there is evidence this defendant intended to assassinate the president, and that he shot a U.S. Secret Service officer after he traversed the country with a cache of ammunition to accomplish his goals,” Pirro stated.
The escalating incidents underscore a highly volatile security environment surrounding the commander-in-chief and federal lawmakers. As the 2026 midterm elections approach, federal law enforcement agencies maintain a heightened state of vigilance to deter and prosecute ideologically motivated political violence. Both defendants are currently in federal custody awaiting further proceedings.
