Full Breakdown
FAA Contractor Charged with Threatening President Trump After Online Searches
5/5/2026, 11:33:38 PM
Incident Overview
Dean DelleChiaie, a 35-year-old FAA contractor from Nashua, New Hampshire, was arrested on May 5, 2026, and charged with interstate communication of a threat against President Donald Trump. Prosecutors say he used his personal email on April 21, 2026, to send a threat to the White House’s public-facing address. In late January, DelleChiaie used his FAA workstation to search for “how to get a gun into a federal facility,” “previous assassination attempts against the president,” “percentage of the population that wants the president dead,” and the phrase “I am going to kill Donald John Trump.” He admitted to the Secret Service in early February that he performed those searches and owned three firearms.
Timeline of Key Events
- Late Jan 2026: Conducted the listed searches.
- Early Feb 2026: Secret Service interview; DelleChiaie acknowledged the searches, firearm ownership, and expressed remorse.
- Feb 2026: Requested FAA IT delete his search history; IT reported the request to authorities, leading to his suspension.
- Apr 21 2026: Emailed the White House (subject “Contact the President”) threatening to “neutralize/kill” the president.
- May 5 2026: Arrested; appeared in federal court the next day.
- May 19 2026: Probable-cause hearing scheduled.
Legal Charge and Potential Penalty
DelleChiaie is charged with one count of interstate communication of a threat against the president, punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Official Responses and Context
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for New Hampshire described the email as a threat and announced the charge. The Secret Service confirmed it led the investigation, conducted the February interview, and noted DelleChiaie’s firearm ownership and depression. FAA’s IT department reported the search-history request to law enforcement, leading to his suspension; the agency declined comment. A 2024 Institute for Strategic Dialogue report found violent threats against U.S. officials have more than tripled since 2021, with Republican-targeted threats rising faster. The case follows two documented assassination attempts on Trump in 2024 and an armed assault on the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in April 2026, highlighting security concerns. The FAA has not indicated whether additional safeguards will be implemented.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I, Dean DelleChiaie, am going neutralize/kill you - Donald John Trump - because you decided to kill kids - and say that it was War - when in reality - it is terrorism. God knows your actions and where you belong.” — Dean DelleChiaie, email to White House
- “God knows your actions and where you belong.” — Dean DelleChiaie, email to White House
- “Contact the President,” — Subject line of the email
- “I am going to kill Donald John Trump.” — Search phrase entered on FAA work computer
What’s Next
A probable-cause hearing is scheduled for May 19, 2026. The court will decide whether the government can proceed to trial. If convicted, DelleChiaie faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and the FAA may review its computer-use monitoring policies.
