Federal prosecutors have charged Dean DelleChiaie, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contractor in New Hampshire, with threatening to kill President Donald Trump, the latest in a series of cases involving alleged threats against the president.
The incident comes as new research shows violent rhetoric targeting U.S. public officials, particularly Trump, has surged sharply in recent years, alongside recent security scares in Washington. The trend has heightened concerns for law enforcement, political leaders and their families as authorities respond to an increasingly volatile threat environment.
Monday’s arrest came just over a week after a gunman was charged with attempted assassination of the president after attempting to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, underscoring the real‑world risks tied to escalating threats.
A February report from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue found that violent threats against public officials have more than tripled since 2021, with threats against Republicans rising faster than those targeting Democrats and Trump among the most frequently targeted figures.
Who Is Dean DelleChiaie?
Authorities identified Dean DelleChiaie as a 35‑year‑old FAA contractor and mechanical engineer based in Nashua, New Hampshire, who allegedly sent a direct threat to the White House after months of online activity that drew the attention of federal investigators.
According to court documents, DelleChiaie used his government-issued computer in January to search for how to bring a gun into a federal facility, past assassination attempts, and the percentage of the population that wants the president dead. He also looked up the location of Vice President JD Vance’s residence and the names of his children, along with other sensitive information about senior officials, raising additional concern among investigators.
Those searches prompted the FAA’s IT department to alert authorities after DelleChiaie asked that his search history be deleted, according to court records, and he was subsequently suspended from his job.
Federal investigators interviewed DelleChiaie at his home in early February, where he admitted to making the searches and said it was “crazy” to do so on his work computer, according to an affidavit. He also acknowledged owning three firearms and told agents he was upset with the administration over a range of issues.
Despite expressing remorse and saying he had no intent to carry out an attack, prosecutors allege DelleChiaie later escalated his behavior, sending an April 21 email to the White House with the subject line “Contact the President,” in which he identified himself and wrote that he intended to “neutralize/kill” Trump.
DelleChiaie allegedly stated, “I, Dean DelleChiaie, am going neutralize/kill you – Donald John Trump – because you decided to kill kids – and say that it was War – when in reality – it is terrorism. God knows your actions and where you belong.”
Additional details in the affidavit describe writings in his home referencing plans to travel to Washington.
“The United States Secret Service is leading the investigation. The Nashua Police Department has provided valuable assistance,” DOJ said in a statement.
If convicted, DelleChiaie faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Donald Trump Assassination Attempts: What To Know
The most serious and widely documented assassination attempt against Trump occurred on July 13, 2024, during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A gunman fired multiple rounds from a nearby rooftop, grazing Trump’s ear and killing one spectator before being shot dead by Secret Service agents. Federal investigators later classified the attack as an attempted assassination and a potential act of domestic terrorism.
A second major attempt followed in September 2024 at Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. Secret Service agents opened fire on a man spotted hiding in bushes with a firearm near Trump’s path; the suspect fled but was later arrested and convicted, according to public reporting. No injuries were reported in that incident, but it reinforced concerns about the vulnerability of outdoor venues.
More recently, authorities say a man armed with firearms and knives tried to storm the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on April 25, 2026, where Trump and senior officials were present. The suspect was stopped by law enforcement before reaching the ballroom, though a Secret Service officer was struck by gunfire and survived.
Beyond these high-profile attacks, Trump has faced a steady stream of alleged plots, threats and security scares dating back to his 2016 campaign.
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