Overview
- Federal prosecutors charged 39-year-old James Gerald Eckert Jr. after a criminal complaint said he threatened to kill, kidnap or harm Donald Trump Jr., a federal offense that carries up to five years in prison.
- The complaint says the threats were made repeatedly during an approximately eight-minute June 18 Rumble livestream of Trump Jr.’s 'Triggered' podcast while the account also streamed itself.
- Law enforcement says the same account posted earlier threats on Facebook aimed at Rochester Mayor Malik Evans on June 7 and at State Sen. Samra Brouk on June 11.
- A Secret Service agent assigned to Trump Jr.’s residence was alerted after the chat was flooded with violent messages, which officials say led to the federal investigation and arrest.
- Eckert appeared in federal court and remains in custody pending a detention hearing set for July 20, and the case highlights how real-time livestream chat and platform broadcasts can trigger federal protective responses.