Idaho man charged with threatening to kill Trump in calls to Mar-a-Lago

An Idaho man, Warren Jones Crazybull, 64, has been charged with making threats against former President Donald Trump in a series of phone calls to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

According to court documents, Crazybull allegedly made at least nine threatening calls on July 31, including statements about traveling to Bedminster, New Jersey, to "down" Trump personally.

The threats were reported to Mar-a-Lago security, who informed the Secret Service. In one call, Crazybull reportedly said, “Find Trump… I am coming down to Bedminster tomorrow. I am going to down him personally and kill him.”

Following this, additional threats were traced back to the same phone number.

Authorities identified Crazybull through his Facebook account, where he made further violent remarks toward Trump while referencing various conspiracy theories involving figures such as Jeffrey Epstein and John F. Kennedy Jr.

Crazybull was arrested on August 1 and subsequently indicted in federal court in Idaho on August 20. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge of making threats against a former president, with a trial set for October 28.

In response to the threats, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung condemned the rhetoric from Vice President Kamala Harris and other Democrats, suggesting that their statements contribute to political violence.

“Kamala Harris and liberal Democrats are the ones who are deranged,” Cheung stated, citing two assassination attempts on Trump and calling for Harris and her party to apologize for their alleged incitement of violence.

The Harris campaign has not issued a formal response, but the vice president has previously condemned political violence. A

fter an apparent assassination attempt against Trump in West Palm Beach, Harris stated, “I condemn political violence. We all must do our part to ensure that this incident does not lead to more violence. I am thankful that former President Trump is safe.”

The Secret Service's investigation confirmed Crazybull's identity through phone records and voice comparison with videos from his Facebook page.

They used T-Mobile data to determine his location at the time of the calls. Agents noted that during an interview,

Crazybull exhibited signs of paranoia and confusion, stating he would not attempt to kill Trump but would not allow him to run for president again.

These threats emerged shortly after a separate assassination attempt on Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, when a gunman shot him in the ear.

Another suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, was arrested in connection with a plot related to Trump's golf club in Florida and has described his actions as a second assassination attempt.

A second assassination attempt on Donald Trump has sparked two major conspiracy theories surrounding suspect Ryan Routh, focusing on his alleged connections to BlackRock and the Ukrainian military.

The incident took place on Sunday, September 15, at Trump National Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, while Trump was golfing. He was unharmed and returned to his Mar-a-Lago residence afterward.

Ronald Rowe, the acting director who took over following Cheatle's departure, now faces additional pressure to ensure Trump’s safety in the lead-up to the election.

The Secret Service is already under intense criticism for allowing a gunman to get so close to Trump during Sunday’s incident. The agency has bolstered Trump’s security detail since the July attempt on his life, but questions remain as to how Routh was able to evade detection for nearly half a day.

President Joe Biden commented on the issue, stating that the Secret Service “needs more help” and expressing his relief that Trump is unharmed.

Biden also made a personal call to Trump, which both parties described as “cordial,” with Trump expressing his thanks for the gesture.

Trump, for his part, attributed the incident to what he described as inflammatory rhetoric from Democrats, including Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Without offering evidence, Trump claimed that such rhetoric was encouraging violence against him. In an interview with Fox News, he accused the Democratic Party of fostering an environment that led to the assassination attempts.

“Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at when I am the one who is going to save the country,” Trump said.

Democrats, including Biden and Harris, have consistently warned that Trump poses a danger to American democracy, particularly citing his role in the January 6, 2021, assault on the US Capitol.

Routh’s social media activity reveals that he was a vocal supporter of Ukraine, a country Trump has been critical of, and had posted disparaging comments about the former president.

In light of these events, a Secret Service official confirmed that Trump’s security measures are being increased to ensure his safety amidst rising concerns.