Federal authorities in the United States have arrested a 40-year-old Los Angeles podcaster accused of threatening to kill President Donald Trump and harassing the family of one of Trump’s former personal attorneys through social media and phone calls, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
Benjamin Azariah Southworth was taken into custody Thursday morning in Los Angeles’ Westlake neighborhood after a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment accusing him of making threats against the president, cyberstalking, and interstate telephone harassment. Prosecutors said Southworth pleaded not guilty during his initial court appearance and was ordered held without bond pending further proceedings.
According to the indictment, Southworth allegedly used YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and a personal website between January and May 2026 to publish repeated threats against Trump and his supporters. Prosecutors said one Instagram video posted in April included statements calling for Trump’s execution and urged violence against the president.
Federal investigators also allege that Southworth published the home address and photographs of a former personal attorney for Trump on TikTok alongside the message “No peace for traitors.” Authorities said the attorney’s wife and son subsequently received abusive messages, while the defendant allegedly left threatening voicemails and made repeated harassing phone calls to family members.
The FBI and the U.S. Secret Service said they jointly investigated the case, describing threats against elected officials as a serious federal offense. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department would respond with “the full force of the law” to threats targeting the president and other public officials, while the U.S. Attorney’s Office said there is “zero tolerance for political violence.”
Court documents say investigators recovered online posts in which Southworth allegedly expressed a desire to kill Trump and depicted fictional acts of violence against the president. Prosecutors argue the statements went beyond political rhetoric and constituted credible threats under federal law. The defense has denied the allegations, and the charges remain unproven until decided in court.
If convicted, Southworth faces up to five years in federal prison for threatening the president, up to five years for cyberstalking, and additional prison time for interstate harassment charges, according to federal prosecutors. The case is scheduled to return to federal court in Los Angeles next month.
