A Michigan man who shares the same initials as Vice President JD Vance has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for making online threats against national political figures, including the vice president, President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Donald Trump Jr.
In a statement released Monday, Nov. 17, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan announced that James Donald Vance Jr. was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney in Kalamazoo, Mich.
Prosecutors said the sentence stems from a series of posts Vance made on the social media platform Bluesky in March and April 2025, where “he made specific threats to kill four people, including President Donald J. Trump and Vice President JD Vance.”
According to the attorney’s office, “In one message, he proclaimed that he did not care whether he was shot by Secret Service or would spend the rest of his life in prison for his actions.”
Vance posted under the Bluesky handle “Diaperjdv.”
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A court filing stated that Vance wrote: “If tRump, Vance, or Musk ever come to my city again, they will leave it in a body bag.”
He continued in the same message, “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.”
In a separate post, Vance referenced an intent to “murder” Donald Trump Jr. “before he gets secret service protection.” Prosecutors said the comment appeared to be a response to another user’s post titled “Donald Trump Jr. Considering a Run for President in 2028,” according to the court filing.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office noted that Vance pleaded guilty to two felony counts: threatening to kill or injure the President and Vice President, and interstate threatening communications.
Each charge carried a potential sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Vance was arrested in June and entered his guilty plea the following month.
In a court filing submitted Monday, Nov. 10, public defender Helen C. Nieuwenhuis described Vance as a “first-time offender with serious physical and mental health issues” and urged the court to impose probation instead of a prison term.
“His statements, while unacceptable, were rhetoric — not plans — and he never took any step to harm anyone,” the filing argued. “He cooperated immediately, consented to searches and admitted his conduct.”
William Shink, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service’s Detroit Field Office, addressed the case in the statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, saying, “Threats against our nation’s leaders and their families will not be tolerated.”
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He added, “Individuals who threaten the President, Vice President or any U.S. Secret Service protectee will be investigated and held accountable for their actions.”
It remains unclear whether Vance ever used his initials in daily life beyond his online alias. The vice president’s full name is James David Vance, though he is widely known as JD.
The United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan did not immediately respond to a request for additional information.
