A 24-year-old Kansas man has been arrested and charged federally after posting explicit threats against President Donald Trump on social media ahead of a rally.
Jaden J. Read was charged Saturday following a series of alarming Facebook posts made before Trump’s visit to the Wichita area last week.
Read’s threats were directed at Trump during a campaign rally the president attended to support Senator Roger Marshall’s reelection bid in Kansas.
In one post responding to a KAKE News article about Trump’s visit, Read wrote: “Let’s shoot Trump honestly, where’s our shooter? I’m tired of living this money life.”
Read followed up that post with a second comment that escalated the threat further, writing: “I just got a 308 and 305 round and I’m killing this pedo.”
Under a separate Facebook article published by KWCH 12 News, Read wrote: “Can we shoot him in Kansas please I will myself.”
In a follow-up comment under that same article, Read wrote: “IK where your speech will be. Already mapped out roofs around. Finna get kirked since yall couldn’t help him.”
That final comment referenced the late conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed while debating students at Utah Valley University.
The reference to scouting rooftops raised immediate concerns among federal officials, who moved quickly to arrest Read before any potential threat could materialize.
Trump’s Kansas visit was primarily intended to boost Senator Roger Marshall, whose reelection campaign against Democratic candidate Adam Hamilton has proven tighter than anticipated in the reliably Republican state.
The Justice Department confirmed the charges against Read, underscoring the federal government’s ongoing commitment to prosecuting threats made against the president.
Cases like Read’s reflect the broader security challenges that accompany presidential travel, particularly as political tensions have intensified across the country heading into the 2026 election cycle.
Federal authorities continue to monitor social media platforms closely for credible threats directed at high-profile political figures and elected officials nationwide.
