The U.S. Department of Justice, through the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, announced that a court has sentenced Joan Lashawn Porter, 30, of Rome, Georgia, to serve three years and five months in federal prison for making death threats against President Donald Trump via live stream on the Tik Tok app.
A statement from the Department of Justice said Porter, who is considered an ex-felon in Floyd County, pleaded guilty in October 2025 and federal Judge William M. Ray II sentenced him to an additional three years of post-release supervision.
Shocking comments on “Tik Tok”
The incident dates back to July 26, 2025, when Porter participated in a TikTok livestream titled “Alligator Alcatraz,” in which he made threats to kill federal employees and harm others, as well as making direct threats against Trump, such as, “The only way to make America great again is to put a bullet in Trump’s eyes,” and “I’ll watch him bleed.”
These threats led to his immediate arrest and trial on charges of transmitting threats across state lines, which is a federal crime. The threat was discovered through social platform monitoring, and an investigation confirmed that Mr Porter had a criminal past, adding to the seriousness of the incident.
serious crimes in america
In the United States, threatening the president, whether live or online, is a serious federal crime and is severely punished under the Act Protecting the President and Federal Officials from Threats.
During Trump’s term as president, threats directed at him increased in the United States, particularly on social media, and hundreds of people were arrested.
Digital platforms have become a major source of these threats in recent years, increasing pressure on companies like TikTok to strengthen their detection and reporting mechanisms.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Theodore Hertzberg said in a statement that Porter is expected to begin serving his sentence immediately, stressing that “threats against the President and federal employees are more than just words; they are crimes that must be severely punished to maintain national security.”
The U.S. Department of Justice, through the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, announced a court ruling that sentenced Juan Rashon Porter, 30, of Rome, Georgia, to three years and five months in federal prison for making death threats against President Donald Trump via a livestream on the TikTok app.
A statement released by the Department of Justice said Porter, considered an ex-felon in Floyd County, pled guilty in October 2025, and federal Judge William M. Ray II sentenced him to an additional three years of supervised release after his incarceration.
Shocking comments on TikTok
The incident dates back to July 26, 2025, when Porter participated in a TikTok livestream titled “Alligator Alcatraz” where he posted threats to kill federal employees and harm others, along with comments that directly threatened Trump, such as, “The only way to make America great again is to put a bullet in Trump’s eyes,” and “I’ll watch him bleed.”
As a result of these threats, he was immediately arrested and charged with sending threats across state lines. This is a federal crime and the threat was discovered through monitoring of social media platforms. After investigation, it was determined that Porter had a past criminal history, making the case even more serious.
serious crimes in america
In the United States, threatening the president is considered a serious federal crime punishable by law under the Act, which protects the president and federal officials from threats, whether in person or online.
During Trump’s presidency, threats directed against him in the United States, particularly on social media, have increased, leading to hundreds of arrests.
Digital platforms have become a major source of these threats in recent years, increasing pressure on companies such as TikTok to strengthen their detection and reporting mechanisms.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Theodore Hertzberg said in a statement that “Threats against the President or any federal employee are more than just words; they are crimes that must be severely punished in order to maintain national security,” and Porter will begin his sentence immediately.
