A Providence, Rhode Island man was arrested Wednesday, July 9, on federal charges for allegedly threatening to kill President Donald Trump and two top administration officials in a profanity-laced post on Truth Social last month.
Carl D. Montague, 37, faces charges including threats against the president, interstate threats, and threats to assault, kidnap, or murder a United States official, judge, or law enforcement officer, according to Acting Rhode Island United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Federal prosecutors allege that Montague posted the threatening message on Truth Social on June 27, 2025, specifically targeting Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. The post contained explicit threats of gun violence against all three officials.
Trump Media and Technology, the parent company of Truth Social, alerted the United States Secret Service about the threatening post at 11:30 p.m. on June 27. The FBI’s National Threat Operations Center Operations Control Center also received an electronic tip about the threats from the FBI’s Strategic Information & Operations Center.
Federal agents tracked the IP address associated with the Truth Social account to a residence on Plainfield Street in Providence operated by Open Doors, a nonprofit organization that assists individuals re-entering society after incarceration. Investigators attempted to locate Montague at the facility on June 30.
When agents initially visited the second-floor apartment where Montague was staying with a friend, the friend claimed he had not seen Montague in several days. However, another resident told investigators that Montague was most likely in the friend’s room and that he occasionally physically assaults the friend.
Agents returned to the apartment with building management and discovered that Montague was hiding in the bathtub. According to the criminal complaint, Montague began confessing to making threats before agents were able to introduce themselves or explain why they were there.
During questioning, Montague confirmed he had made the post and admitted he was smoking a lot of marijuana when he posted the threat. He indicated he had deleted his Truth Social account after sending the message and expressed frustration with current politics as his motivation for using the platform.
The suspect told agents he did not have a specific reason to direct his threat toward Miller and Bondi, explaining that he observed their names in prior threads and posts he was viewing before submitting his own post. Montague claimed he could not identify Bondi and expressed remorse for his actions.
Crucially, Montague stated he had no intentions of shooting or inflicting violence on any government officials. He told investigators he does not own or have access to any weapons and had no plans, intentions, or means to travel to conduct violence.
Montague appeared before United States District Court Magistrate Judge Amy E. Moses on Wednesday afternoon in Providence. He waived his right to a preliminary hearing and was not asked to enter a plea.
Prosecutors requested that Montague be held in custody, with Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan citing his criminal record, which includes several assault charges and multiple bail violations over the past 10 years. Prosecutors described the threats as some of the most violent they are aware of and noted that Montague is a prolific violator of court conditions.
Defense attorney Joanne M. Daley argued for Montague’s release, explaining that her client had lost his job due to grant funding cuts, subsequently lost his health insurance, and stopped taking medication. She emphasized that Montague had been free for days since being questioned by agents without incident, and that no weapons were found at his residence.
Judge Moses determined that prosecutors did not meet the burden to prove Montague must be held and ordered his release under strict conditions. These include residing at Open Doors in one of its residential programs, obtaining mental health treatment, having no contact with the threatened individuals, surrendering his passport, and abstaining from firearms, drugs, and alcohol.
Additional conditions require Montague to remain in Rhode Island and seek employment. A court worker also accused Montague of urinating in the cell block and an interview room during his court appearance.
When approached by reporters outside the courthouse, Montague appeared angry at news crews and said, “Stay away from me.” He also reportedly went after news cameras after his release.
NBC 10 News learned that Montague previously worked at Project Weber/Renew, a safe injection site in Providence, though employees indicated he had not worked with the organization for at least a year. A spokesperson for the organization declined to comment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan and was investigated by the FBI, United States Secret Service, and Providence Police Department. Two of the charges carry prison terms of up to five years upon conviction, while the third carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
The investigation into the matter remains ongoing, according to federal authorities.
Sources:
https://www.foxnews.com/us/rhode-island-man-charged-allegedly-threatening-kill-trump-other-administration-officials
https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2025/07/09/r-i-man-arrested-accused-of-threatening-to-kill-donald-trump-pamela-bondi-stephen-miller-in-online-post/
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/07/09/metro/rhode-island-man-threats-to-trump-bondi-miller/
https://www.masslive.com/politics/2025/07/feds-arrest-ri-man-for-death-threats-against-trump-and-top-white-house-officials.html
https://www.newsweek.com/rhode-island-man-threatens-trump-bondi-miller-arrested-2096766
