Georgia Man Who Threatened To Kill Trump On Social Media Wins A Free Pass To Federal Prison

The sentencing of Jauan Rashun Porter underscores how quickly rhetoric can cross the line from protected speech into criminal conduct, and how seriously federal authorities treat threats against the President of the United States.

Porter, a 30-year-old from Rome, Georgia, was sentenced to three years and five months in federal prison after pleading guilty to transmitting interstate threats to kill President Donald J. Trump, followed by three years of supervised release. The case serves as a stark reminder that explicit threats of political violence carry severe legal consequences.

According to court records and statements from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Porter’s conduct unfolded publicly and brazenly. On July 26, 2025, he joined a TikTok livestream focused on President Trump, commenting under the caption “Alligator Alcatraz.” What followed was a series of explicit, graphic threats.

Porter stated, in unambiguous terms, that the only way to “make America great” was to shoot the president. Over the course of several minutes, he repeatedly described his intent to kill Trump, specifying weapons, ammunition, and even a planned vantage point near an upcoming rally. He went further still, threatening to kill federal agents if they came to his door and then take his own life.

Federal prosecutors emphasized that the Constitution does not shield such statements. U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg described threats against the president as an “abhorrent crime” and stressed that political violence, or credible threats thereof, fall well outside the bounds of free speech. Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Donovan echoed that position, noting that when speech turns into threats against protected officials, Secret Service intervention is inevitable.

The investigation revealed troubling details beyond the livestream itself. Searches conducted by the U.S. Secret Service, alongside local and state law enforcement, uncovered pipe-like devices, pistol ammunition, and Tannerite, a commercially available explosive compound.

While no firearm was found, the presence of these materials heightened the seriousness of the threats, particularly given Porter’s criminal history.

That history played a significant role in the case. Porter has multiple prior felony convictions, including terroristic threats, influencing a witness, violence within a penal institution, and domestic battery.

At the time of the threats, he was already on probation for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Against that backdrop, federal authorities treated the livestream statements not as idle talk, but as credible threats requiring swift action.