A 20-year-old Washington state resident faces up to 10 years in federal prison after being indicted on two counts of threatening to kill President Donald Trump in disturbing social media posts that outlined violent intentions.
Federal Charges Filed in Seattle
Phillip Richard Wharton of Everett, Washington, was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury in the Western District of Washington. Court documents reveal that the U.S. Secret Service began investigating Wharton last summer after receiving alerts about threatening posts made on social media platforms. The investigation successfully linked multiple accounts to Wharton, leading to his arrest. The indictment details two specific instances where Wharton allegedly posted explicit threats against the president, including graphic descriptions of violence that caught the attention of federal authorities.
🚨🚨Transgender activist INDICTED in Washington State for threatening to kiII President Trump
Phillip Wharton, a man pretending to be a woman who goes by the name Sadie and uses the “Mx” honorific now faces up to 10 years in prison.
Transgender violence is an epidemic. pic.twitter.com/oo49d72pWu
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 1, 2026
Disturbing Social Media Posts
According to the indictment, the first threat appeared on August 19, 2025, when Wharton posted an image with text stating he would kill the president and wear his face as a mask. The second incident occurred on September 23, 2025, when a post read that Wharton planned to kill the president the following day, describing the statement as a confession admissible in court rather than a joke. Federal investigators traced the posts across multiple platforms, including Instagram and accounts where Wharton used the online name Sadie Online. The detailed nature of the threats prompted immediate Secret Service action.
Legal Consequences and Federal Response
Each count of threatening a federal official carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, meaning Wharton could face up to a decade behind bars if convicted on both charges. The U.S. District Court in Seattle will handle the case as it moves through the federal judicial system. Threatening the president is a serious federal crime that law enforcement treats with the highest priority, regardless of whether the individual intended to carry out the threats. The Secret Service continues to monitor and investigate thousands of potential threats against federal officials annually, working to distinguish between genuine dangers and empty rhetoric.
What This Means
This case demonstrates the federal government’s commitment to prosecuting threats against the president and other federal officials. The Secret Service maintains sophisticated monitoring systems to detect potential threats across social media platforms and other digital communications. While free speech protections are robust in America, explicit threats of violence against government officials cross legal boundaries and trigger serious criminal consequences. The investigation’s success in linking online accounts to a specific individual shows how law enforcement can track digital footprints even when suspects attempt to hide behind screen names or multiple accounts.