A Florida man is facing serious federal charges after allegedly threatening to assassinate President Donald Trump in a disturbing social media rant, according to authorities.
Tranard Dell, a 31-year-old resident of Port Orange, is accused of posting graphic threats on the platform X (formerly Twitter). Federal prosecutors filed a criminal complaint on Thursday, charging him with threatening the president and attempting to intimidate a federal officer with threats of murder.
The threatening post was reportedly made on March 20 by a user with the handle “@rockstarkidd31” and display name “Tray.” Dell’s online post tagged Trump and described disturbing fantasies of his death, including graphic threats of violence.
According to the complaint, Dell’s message read: “[E]veryyyyyday of my life I just wish I can cut the news on too hear that you’ve died gotten shot or had a stroke… I’ll kill your a— myself you better not come to Florida I’m gone shoot your brains everywhere.”
The Secret Service tracked the IP address tied to the post to a Port Orange apartment occupied by a 79-year-old woman. Investigators found that Dell frequently visited her and that his driver’s license was registered to that address.
When contacted on April 24, Dell allegedly became aggressive with the agent on the phone, threatening the officer’s life if he attempted to visit. Dell followed the call with threatening text messages, including, “Come here I bet you won’t leave walking or talking.”
Authorities began surveillance shortly after. Dell was observed outside the building using his phone, which confirmed his identity when he answered a call placed by the investigating agent. He then allegedly issued another verbal death threat during the call.
Initially, Dell admitted to owning the X account but denied authoring the threatening posts. However, in a follow-up interview, he changed his story and confessed to writing the threatening message against the president.
According to federal investigators, Dell claimed he made the post out of frustration over a reported Trump-era policy that threatened to eliminate a $1 billion federal housing program. He feared losing his housing assistance, which he said sparked the angry post.
Authorities believe the timing of Dell’s threat aligns with a report published by the Associated Press regarding the potential housing cuts.
Dell’s arrest is one of several recent incidents involving threats toward Trump. Earlier this year, a Florida man was arrested for allegedly threatening Trump on Facebook to manipulate stock markets. In separate cases, men from Texas and Georgia also face charges for threats over political disagreements.
Dell is currently being held in Volusia County Jail. His bond is set at $50,000 cash or surety.
