Federal agents do not tend to shrug off online talk of killing a president, and a Rock Hill man is now finding that out the hard way.
A federal grand jury has indicted South Carolina resident John Alexander Bellue after he allegedly posted a death threat aimed at President Donald Trump on the social platform X. Court documents say Bellue wrote on Sept. 7, 2025: “@realdonaldtrump you have the right to remain silent, I’m gonna kill you in the most brutal way possible.” The filing was returned in the Rock Hill division of the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina.
According to the Charlotte Observer, a grand jury returned one count of threatening the president and one count of using interstate communications to transmit the threat. The paper reports that the alleged post coincided with Trump’s attendance at the U.S. Open men’s championship in New York City, citing court records filed in the Rock Hill division as the basis for the charges.
Charges and statutes
Federal prosecutors have charged language that mirrors two federal statutes: one that bars threats against the President and a second that criminalizes threats transmitted across state lines. As outlined by 18 U.S.C. and 18 U.S.C., those provisions can carry fines or prison terms.
Local record and next steps
Prison records show Bellue has not been convicted of crimes in South Carolina or North Carolina, the Charlotte Observer reports. With the indictment now on file in federal court, the case will move into the arraignment and pretrial phase, where a judge will handle issues like detention and scheduling.
As the case proceeds, future docket entries will make dates, detention status and prosecutors' filings public. Journalists and members of the public can follow the court docket for updates as proceedings are scheduled.
Legal note
Threats against the President are prosecuted under federal law and are treated seriously by investigators; prosecutors must prove a statement meets the legal standard for a criminal threat rather than protected political speech. Defendants retain the right to challenge evidence and contest whether an online message meets the legal threshold for a "true threat."
Bellue is presumed innocent unless and until a court convicts him. This report will be updated as new court filings or official statements become available.
