US Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli charged Thomas Streaval, 73, of Yucca Valley with three counts of making threats against president-elect Donald Trump on May 29. 

Each count refers to a Facebook post Streaval made in November 2024. Streaval appears to have two Facebook accounts, which have a combined total of 83 friends. The threats are not publicly visible as of June 6. His profile pictures include multiple polaroids of himself taken at United States Army camps.

His counsel has not yet been announced. He pleaded not guilty June 3.

The announcement of the charge includes a quote from United States Attorney General Pamela Bondi. Bondi’s predecessors, Merrick Garland and William Barr, were never quoted in announcements from the US Attorney’s Office of the Central District of California.

“This defendant is charged with threatening the life of our President – a man who has already survived two deranged attempts on his life,” said Bondi. “The Department of Justice takes these threats with the utmost seriousness and will prosecute this crime to the fullest extent of the law.”

Streaval made the following three posts:

  • “My ASS is willing to make America great again and blow his mother fucking brains out. The piece of shit will never be my president.”
  • “Let me put a bullet right between the ears of your president-elect that instantly makes AMERICA great again. That’s my purpose for living. It would give me great pleasure to kill the worthless mother fucker.” 
  • “I'm praying for a successful assassination of your president-elect that will immediately make America great again for the good of our nation. I would gladly give my left nut to be the one who puts the bullet right between his ears. My life's mission is killing the worthless LOSER piece of shit and my mission starts tonight so watch yourself trump, you are a dead mother fucker and I am your assassin. ‘GOD BLESS AMERICA.’”

“The type of rhetoric and threats made by this defendant are similar to those that led to an attempt on the President’s life last year,” said Essayli. “There is no place for political violence or threats of violence in the United States. We will not hesitate to arrest and charge others who engage in similar criminal conduct.”

Streaval could face a maximum of five years in federal prison for each count.

Case No. 5:25-cr-00182

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