A Michigan man has been arrested and federally charged after allegedly threatening to assassinate President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in a disturbing social media post that warned they would leave his city “in a body bag” if they ever returned.
The suspect, James Donald Vance Jr.—not to be confused with Vice President James David “JD” Vance—was taken into custody this week and faces one count of threatening to kill or harm the President and Vice President of the United States, and two counts of transmitting interstate threats, according to court documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan.
Federal prosecutors allege that on April 1, 2025, Vance used the social media platform Bluesky to post a threat under the username “Diaperjdv.” The message read:
“If tRump, Vance, or Musk ever come to my city again, they will leave it in a body bag. I will either be shot by a secret service sniper or spend the rest of my life in prison. I’ve only got about 10 years of life left anyway so I don’t f—ing care either way.”
The indictment accuses Vance of “knowingly and willfully” threatening the lives of both the President and Vice President. The federal charge for threatening the President carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
One of the threatening communication charges stems from the April 1 post, while the second relates to a message Vance allegedly posted on March 7 in response to an article titled “Donald Trump Jr. Considering a Run for President in 2028.”
According to court filings, Vance replied:
“I will murder that stupid f—er before he gets secret service protection.”
Vance appeared in court Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maarten Vermaat, where he pleaded not guilty to all charges. He was released on a personal recognizance bond with several conditions, including a ban on using alcohol or non-prescription drugs, restrictions on travel outside the Western District of Michigan, and a prohibition on possessing firearms.
He is also required to participate in a computer monitoring program and is barred from accessing any social media platforms.
The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney, who was appointed by President George W. Bush.
This arrest comes just weeks after another individual—a 73-year-old California man—was detained for making repeated online threats against President Trump, including one post stating he wouldn’t rest “until [Trump] is six feet under and off the face of the earth.”
