A 24-year-old Fairview Park man is facing federal charges after posting violent threats against President-Elect Donald Trump on Twitter in the early hours of November 9. Zachary Benson, whose online rant called for the assassination of Trump, was swiftly identified and charged following an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service.
According to an affidavit filed in federal court, Benson wrote: “My life goal is to assassinate Trump. Don’t care if I serve infinite sentences. That man deserves to decease existing.” The post, made around 1 a.m. just after election results began to solidify, immediately triggered a federal response under laws protecting presidential candidates from credible threats.
Benson was interviewed by Secret Service agents and admitted to authoring the posts. He claimed he had no actual plans to carry out the threat but expressed deep frustration over the election outcome and Trump’s policy positions. Investigators noted the language used crossed a legal threshold, regardless of intent to act.
U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon and Craig Wisniewski, Special Agent in Charge of the Secret Service’s Cleveland office, confirmed the charges. The case underscores the federal government’s zero-tolerance stance on threats against national leaders, especially during volatile political transitions.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karrie Howard is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Benson’s sentence will be determined by the court after evaluating factors such as his criminal history, role in the offense, and the nature of the violation. While the statutory maximum applies, actual sentencing could be lower based on judicial discretion.
A charge is not evidence of guilt. Zachary Benson is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The case is ongoing, with no trial date yet set.
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