Harrisburg, PA – Just four days before Inauguration Day, a 22-year-old from Port Matilda allegedly posted violent threats against President-elect Donald J. Trump on TikTok, prompting a federal investigation and criminal charges.
Jacob Buckley, 22, was charged Wednesday by criminal information with making threats against the then President-elect. According to federal prosecutors, Buckley used a TikTok account under the handle “Jacob_buckley” to post multiple statements on January 16, including “I’m going to kill Trump” and “I hate MAGA republicans bro on god I’ll kill all of them.”
The U.S. Secret Service led the investigation, which determined Buckley’s posts constituted threats against a federally protected individual. Prosecutors say the threats were made days before Trump’s scheduled inauguration.
Buckley faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, supervised release, fines, and a special assessment if convicted. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
As with all criminal charges, the allegations are not proof of guilt, and Buckley is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
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Key Points
- Jacob Buckley of Port Matilda was charged for threatening Donald Trump via TikTok
- Posts included multiple threats days before the presidential inauguration
- The U.S. Secret Service led the investigation; Buckley faces up to 5 years if convicted