A Los Angeles-based podcaster was indicted for making threats to kill President Donald Trump and his personal attorney, federal officials announced.
Benjamin Southworth, 40, was arrested in his Westlake home on Thursday after federal law enforcement said he repeatedly made threats against the president’s life.
From January to May of this year, Southworth publicly expressed his hatred toward the president and his supporters via his website, TikTok, Instagram and two of his YouTube accounts, court documents stated. The documents detailed how Southworth’s contempt for the president was increasingly expressed on social media throughout that time period.
They state that on March 31, the man posted a video on his Instagram account saying, “Since the Supreme Court has ruled today that psychological, spiritual, emotional and physical torture known as gay conversion therapy is free speech, I want to practice my free speech as a survivor of conversion therapy for five years. Kill Donald Trump. Kill that m*therf*cking pedophile in the White House.”
He also allegedly repeatedly made threats against President Trump’s life and championed his assassination, federal officials said.
Court documents went on to state that Southworth also called on his followers to “visit” the home of the president’s personal lawyer, Jay Sekulow. Officials say the man posted Sekulow’s address and a picture of his home in Brentwood, Tennessee. They also state Southworth posted the lawyer’s phone number on his social media.
Southworth was charged with making threats against the president, cyberstalking and harassing telephone calls in interstate communications. He is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday.
It’s unclear if he has an attorney who can speak on his behalf.