Full Breakdown
Former Marine Congressional Candidate Charged with Threatening President Trump
7/17/2026, 9:04:17 PM
Upham Charged with Threatening the President
On July 16, 2026, former U.S. Marine William L. Upham, 35, was arrested in Jacksonville, Florida, and charged in federal court with threatening the President of the United States. Prosecutors allege that Upham posted two videos in which he called President Donald J. Trump “the Antichrist,” declared a “holy war,” and urged viewers to kill the president with a semi-automatic rifle, specifying “two shots to the chest” and “one shot to the head.” The complaint also cites an email to a reporter in which Upham wrote he would “kill President Trump at the time that God chooses.” A U.S. magistrate judge ordered Upham detained pending further proceedings; conviction could carry up to five years in federal prison.
Political Candidacy and Military Background
Upham is a qualified write-in candidate in the Republican primary for Florida’s 5th Congressional District, a seat held by Rep. John Rutherford (R-FL). He qualified on June 9, 2026, and has framed his campaign as a bid to “fix a broken political system” and return power to the working class. The Marine Corps medically discharged him on May 30, 2025; the discharge was later described as a “medical retirement” linked to mental-health concerns.
Key Individuals and Agencies
- William L. Upham – Former Marine officer, write-in candidate for FL-5.
- Gregory Kehoe – U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, announced the charge.
- Samuel J. Horovitz – U.S. magistrate judge who signed the detention order.
- U.S. Secret Service – Initiated the investigation after receiving threat reports.
- U.S. Marine Corps – Issued a public statement condemning the remarks.
- Hung Cao – Acting Secretary of the Navy, also condemned the statements.
Official Responses
The Department of Justice confirmed the indictment and noted the Secret Service’s role in investigating “anything that can be perceived as a threat toward one of our protectees.” The Marine Corps posted on X that it was “aware of the disturbing statements made by William Upham” and emphasized that his comments “are a direct violation of the oath he swore to uphold and are not in keeping with the service’s values.” Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao described the remarks as “unacceptable” and reiterated that Upham “does not represent our values or ethos.” A Secret Service spokesperson said the agency “investigates anything that can be perceived as a threat toward one of our protectees” but declined to discuss operational details.
Criticism and Opposition
Law-enforcement officials and military leaders have uniformly condemned Upham’s rhetoric as incompatible with both civilian political discourse and military oath obligations. The statements have also been cited by bipartisan observers as part of a broader pattern of incendiary political speech that can heighten the risk of violence against elected officials.
Data & Statistics
- Charge: Threatening the President of the United States (18 U.S.C. § 871).
- Potential sentence: Up to five years imprisonment.
- Discharge date: May 30, 2025 (medical).
- Court appearance: Detained after initial hearing on July 16, 2026; next hearing scheduled for July 30, 2026.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We are led by a president who is the enemy of God,” — William L. Upham
- “He is a false messiah. And he is your enemy, and he must be killed,” — William L. Upham
- “The Marine Corps is aware of the disturbing statements made by William Upham," the service wrote on X.” — U.S. Marine Corps (X post)
- “Unacceptable. William Upham is no longer a Marine and does not represent our values or ethos.” — Hung Cao, Acting Secretary of the Navy
- “Secret Service is aware of the comments made by a congressional candidate in Florida, and we investigate anything that can be perceived as a threat toward one of our protectees.” — U.S. Secret Service spokesperson
- “The affidavit says Upham wrote, "I will kill President Trump at the time that God chooses, not when I choose.” — William L. Upham (email to reporter)
What’s Next
Upham remains in federal detention. The next scheduled court appearance is on July 30, 2026, where a judge will determine further pre-trial conditions and address any additional evidence.
