Nashua Man Charged with Threatening President

A 42-year-old man from Nashua, New Hampshire, faces federal charges for allegedly posting threats to kill the President on social media, according to a U.S. Department of Justice press release issued May 5, 2026.

The charges target one individual, Brian Thompson, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire, under 18 U.S.C. § 871, which prohibits threats against the President and carries a potential penalty of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Prior to the charges, no federal action had been taken against Thompson for the alleged posts made in April 2026; now, he is subject to federal prosecution with an initial court appearance scheduled for May 10, 2026.

Thompson's arraignment will determine bail conditions, triggering a discovery phase where prosecutors must share evidence within 30 days per federal rules, and potentially leading to a trial within 70 days under the Speedy Trial Act unless waived. The case activates Secret Service involvement in monitoring similar threats nationwide, as the agency investigates all presidential threats per its statutory mandate.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for New Hampshire has handled three similar threat cases since 2024, per Department of Justice records. The statute cited, 18 U.S.C. § 871, was enacted in 1917 and has been used in over 100 federal prosecutions annually in recent years.