'I will kill Trump': Man threatened to take out president with a 'really good sniper' and then argued it was 'protected speech' — now he is headed to prison

President Donald Trump speaks successful the Cabinet Room of the White House, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, successful Washington (AP Photo/Alex Brandon).

A Texas antheral is headed to situation after spewing assassination threats online astir President Donald Trump that helium aboriginal argued was "protected speech."

One of Francisco Mena's threats — a station connected YouTube — featured the words "Kill Trump" much than 20 times, according to national prosecutors. In others, the 37-year-old proclaimed, "Give maine a truly bully sniper," and posted emojis of swords, a skull and crossbones, and a coffin. He besides vowed to harm national migration officers.

"Threats against the president and national officers are crimes that my bureau takes precise seriously," said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould successful a connection Friday.

Mena was sentenced to 33 months successful national situation past week aft helium pleaded blameworthy successful June to 1 number of threatening a national official. Prosecutors accidental Mena "repeatedly issued convulsive threats" against Trump and ICE agents betwixt May 13 and May 25, 2025.

"The suspect repeatedly threatened to battle and execution the president, penning variations of 'KILL TRUMP' crossed aggregate dates and platforms," the DOJ said successful a press release Friday. "He besides issued threats directed astatine national instrumentality enforcement officers stating that if ICE agents came to his residence, helium would 'respond with a gunfight,' and claiming helium had antecedently stabbed an ICE cause and 'would emotion to bash this again.'"

In summation to allegedly threatening Trump and ICE, prosecutors said Mena targeted the president's supporters. "You are the premier people successful the full U.S.A.," helium wrote connected YouTube, according to the national complaint. "Blacks, white, Mexican, Asians vs. Trump supporters …. We volition execution you!!!"

In different post, Mena allegedly said, "We retired present sidesplitting them each slowly. Stabbed, shot, drugged, hung, everything! F— what you're going through!!!!"

He allegedly added, "All these Trump mfs volition die."

Earlier this year, Mena's nationalist defenders argued that his code was "protected" successful a question to disregard his case.

"No tenable juror could construe the hyperbolic, vague, and contradictory statements alleged … 'as a superior look of an intent to origin a contiguous oregon aboriginal harm,'" the question said. "These rambling and contradictory comments yet 'lack believability' and could not beryllium perceived arsenic 'serious' by immoderate nonsubjective reader."

Mena, who is from North Richland Hills, was indicted by a national expansive assemblage connected 10 counts of threatening a national official. He was arrested successful January.

The station 'I volition termination Trump': Man threatened to instrumentality retired president with a 'really bully sniper' and past argued it was 'protected speech' — present helium is headed to prison archetypal appeared connected Law & Crime.