A 41-year-old Florida man has been charged with making threats against President Donald Trump on social media, authorities said.
Tyler J. Betran, from Orlando, was arrested and charged with making threats to kill or do bodily harm to the President of the United States, according to an affidavit from the U.S. Secret Service.
The charges stem from a series of posts made on Twitter by Betran in July. In one post, Betran allegedly wrote, “I’m going to make sure you’re removed from office and sent to a ‘reeducation’ camp… You’re going to regret the day you decided to run for president.”
In another tweet, he allegedly wrote, “You and your ‘_dictionary server’ are going down,” according to the affidavit.
U.S. Secret Service agents launched an investigation after they received a tip about the tweets from another Twitter user who was concerned about the threatening language.
Betran was arrested on Aug. 11 and held without bail, pending a hearing on Tuesday. It’s not clear what defense he will mount or whether he has an attorney.
The case comes as Trump’s social media presence has been under scrutiny, with some critics accusing him of using Twitter to spread propaganda or to bully and intimidate political opponents. Some lawmakers have called for better regulation of social media companies, which they see as threats to civil discourse and national security.
This is the latest in a string of cases in which individuals have been charged with making threats against the President. Just last week, a Wisconsin man was charged with threatening to kill Trump on social media, while in July, a New York man was charged with making terroristic threats against the President.
The Betran case highlights the serious consequences that can result from online threats, even those made by individuals who may not intend to carry out their words. It also underscores the importance of social media companies’ efforts to monitor their platforms for hate speech, harassment, and threats, and to take swift action against those who make such posts.
