An Arizona man was arrested by federal authorities Monday for posting threats online against Donald Trump and his family. Prosecutors charged Manuel Tamayo-Torres on Tuesday with one count of Threats Against President and Successors to the Presidency and four counts of False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm. Tamayo-Torres attempted to purchase a firearm as a convicted felon with a restraining order.
According to the charging documents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Tamayo-Torres said in a profanity-laden video posted on Facebook a few days ago that the “the former president and current president-elect,” his son and family are “gonna die … I’m going to put a hole in your face.” He also threatened to torture Trump. “I’m going to f****** kill you motherf*****,” he said. “I’m going to tear your motherf****** face out, your whole motherf****** face.”
He said Trump’s son was going to be sent to prison, where he would be tortured and put in a wheelchair. He accused Trump of being a “white privileged man” and “Caucasian nothing.” He went on, “You’re a low life scum, I’ll spit in your f****** face motherf*****. And if they give me a chance, I’m going to f****** bury you myself. If they give me a chance to bury you, to kill you, murder you … torture you, and break you in the system.” The video kept going with more language like that.
Another video, posted on November 13, showed Tamayo-Torres brandishing an AR-15, which was one of several firearms he owned illegally, court documents stated. Federal agents said he lied on federal forms when attempting to purchase a handgun. He checked the box that said he wasn’t a convicted felon and failed to disclose that he was under a restraining order. He was convicted of felony assault last year in California, and has a restraining order against him from his ex-wife.
His ex-wife obtained the restraining order against him in July 2023 from the Goodyear Municipal Court, effective for two years. In 2003, Tamayo-Torres was convicted of Assault with Great Bodily Injury in San Diego and sentenced to six years in prison. He tried unsuccessfully twice to purchase firearms from Shooter’s World in Phoenix. The first time he received a “delayed” status, and the second time he was denied after a background check was performed.
In the November 13 video, Tamayo-Torres accused Trump of touching his minor children, and discussed how his former employer has some of his children. He said he was going to kill Trump and his family with his firearms.
In a third video, he accused Trump of kidnapping and trafficking his children. Tamayo-Torres attended a Trump rally in Glendale earlier this year, and claimed that was where his daughter was kidnapped by Trump and Secret Service agents.
He posted several videos on November 21. In one of them, he threatened the Secret Service. “Secret Service, since you have done a lot of [Individual 1’s] dirty work, you’re the target too, you know that already,” he said. “Bring your guns, your sniper guns, start getting your exercise on. I’m only here, not so much longer. I know you guys have a big mouth and you run it. Why don’t you put that running of your mouth into action? I’m always ready. Barefoot, my socks, my boxers, naked, I’m always ready for a chase. Think about that, Secret Service boys.”
Tamayo-Torres, who lives in Tolleson, was arrested near San Diego, with the charges filed in Phoenix.
Concerns are arising that the mainstream media, which is heavily composed of Democrats and influenced by the Democratic Party, is inciting violence due to its heightened rhetoric comparing Trump to Hitler and calling him a white supremacist. Former FBI counterterrorism agent Tim Clemente said during an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett regarding the second assassination attempt on Trump that the level of violence targeting a former president is unprecedented.
“I would think we’re going to find that this guy is extremely politically motivated and that he probably was spurred on by much of the political diatribes that are going on these days,” Clemente said. “Talking about Trump equating him to Hitler and things like that.”
Two days after the election, a Minnesota man who had posted angry diatribes against Trump on social media killed himself, his wife, former partner, and their children. One of his posts said, “I have intrusive thoughts of being burned at the stake of a witch or crucified on a burning cross.”
A Georgia poll worker with a history of posting vile statements about Trump and his supporters was arrested and charged earlier this month with mailing a bomb threat to a voter.
Former first lady Melania Trump called the media out as culpable during an interview with Fox & Friends. “[I]s it really shocking that all this egregious violence goes against my husband, especially that we hear the leaders from the opposition party and mainstream media branding him as a threat to democracy, calling him vile names?” she asked. “They’re only fueling a toxic atmosphere and giving power to all of these people that want to do harm to him. This needs to stop.”
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Rachel Alexander is a reporter at The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow Rachel on Twitter / X. Email tips to [email protected].
