GOSHEN, Ind. — Authorities have apprehended a 23-year-old man from Goshen, Indiana, suspected of utilizing TikTok to incite violence towards the government and advocate for the assassination of former President Donald Trump, according to the FBI.
Douglas Thrams is reported to have released multiple videos on the social media platform threatening in a disturbing manner this week. The man is currently being held in custody, pending a federal court appearance scheduled for Monday in South Bend. As of now, he has not secured legal representation to address the serious allegations involving threats made through interstate communication.
In one particular video, Thrams is quoted as saying that Trump should be killed and added, “and this time don’t … miss,” according to an affidavit submitted by FBI agent Taylor Pletz. This statement seemed to reference an earlier assassination attempt that occurred in Pennsylvania last July.
Agent Pletz clarified that Thrams was identifiable in all recorded content. The release of these videos sparked significant concern regarding threats to national safety.
Interestingly, there was a pending plan to ban TikTok in the United States that was set to take effect last Sunday. However, former President Trump paused this ban for a period of 75 days to allow for a thorough evaluation of national security implications and to explore the possibility of an American acquiring the widely-used social media platform.
