Pennsylvania Democrat Senate Candidate Raymond Chandler Arrested for Threatening to Kill President Trump

PITTSBURGH — Raymond Eugene Chandler III, a Democrat candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania running against Sen. John Fetterman in 2028, was arrested Friday morning by the FBI and U.S. Secret Service at his home in Wilkinsburg for making explicit threats to assassinate President Donald Trump and harm a member of Congress.

According to the federal criminal complaint, Chandler left multiple graphic voicemails over several weeks. In one April 18 voicemail to an unidentified member of Congress, he described a violent scenario involving billionaires: “Sir, I have, uh, I’m calling this morning ’cause I want you to imagine a scenario. I want you to imagine a scenario where all the 1,200 billionaires in this country, all their properties, are surrounded simultaneously by a thousand people.” “Imagine your house, your daughter’s house, everyone you know and love who is also rich. Imagine every single one of those homes being surrounded by a thousand people… Then imagine them all getting a text and then, then suddenly taking out their pocket knives, walking slowly towards your house with 10, you got your 10 guards or whatever against a thousand people, and then they come and they pull you out of your house and they slit your throat and they slit your daughter’s throat and they slit everyone’s throat. That you know, sir, that is the future…”

In a second voicemail on April 29, Chandler urged the unnamed lawmaker to kill President Trump saying: "Sir, I'm calling this evening because what I want you to do is I want you to take a firearm. I want you to put it in your hand. I want you to walk into the Oval Office. I want you to put that firearm to the President's head, and I want you to pull the trigger and I want you to kill him."

Chandler, a tabletop game designer who identifies as a progressive Democrat, also posted related content online, including on a YouTube channel tied to his Senate campaign.

He faces two federal felony charges: influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a federal official by threatening a family member, and by threatening a federal official. He appeared in federal court and is being held pending further proceedings.

The threats were taken seriously by authorities, prompting extra security for the targeted officials. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

This arrest is the latest example of federal authorities acting swiftly on threats against President Trump and public officials.