Left: Donald Trump speaks at the annual Road to Majority conference in Washington, D.C., in June 2024 (Allison Bailey/NurPhoto via AP). Right: Christopher Key-Torrion Carnes (Wake County Sheriff's Office).
A North Carolina man told President Donald Trump to "f— around" and "find out" about threats he made to assassinate him, saying "I'm not a person for bluff calling," according to federal prosecutors.
"DJT I am going to kill you," stated Christopher Carnes, 33, of Raleigh, in a video posted on his Facebook account on May 13, according to a criminal complaint filed last week by the U.S. Justice Department.
"I'm not crazy. I know exactly what I'm saying," Carnes allegedly insisted. "Charge me with a terroristic threat."
Federal prosecutors say Carnes "did knowingly and willfully make a threat to take the life, to kidnap, or to inflict bodily harm upon the president" in a series of online videos posted on his Facebook. The posts showed him driving around in a red Dodge Charger, which he publicly identified — along with his birthdate and last four digits of his Social Security number — to let authorities know he meant business, the DOJ reports.
"I'm right here in North Carolina," Carnes allegedly said in a May 12 video while sitting in his Charger. "Ain't ever ran from a motherf—er, I'm right here at the Walmart b—."
Carnes repeatedly referenced Operation Epic Fury, the joint U.S.-Israel military campaign that targeted the Iranian regime, according to the complaint.
"Donald J Trump you ran this Operation Epic Fury b— I told ya imma kill you and the blood of Jesus, whatever the f— name you want it to be," Carnes allegedly said. He told viewers to contact "the motherf—ing Secret Service in Washington, DC Raleigh North Carolina" and stated his willingness to shoot at responding law enforcement, the DOJ reports.
"I ain't got s— to motherf—ing lose," Carnes allegedly said.
On June 6, prosecutors say Carnes posted a video lasting nearly eight minutes, during which he claimed to have a pipe bomb. "Y'all know I am a man of my word," Carnes allegedly told his Facebook followers. "When have y'all known me to lie?"
Carnes could be seen exiting his vehicle and going to the trunk to reveal a purported "pipe bomb" that he vowed to use against Trump, according to the complaint.
"This here Donald Trump … this here … I've told you Donald Trump, I'm not a person for bluff calling," Carnes allegedly said. "Like I said Donald Trump, I don't have time for Operation Epic Fury no more. Now you know I got a live f—ing bomb in the f—ing car."
Carnes allegedly added, "I've warned you over the years … so now Donald Trump, guess what I don't want your f—ing help. Now I want the world to blow the f— up like I've been telling you."
Carnes was tracked down on May 18 and asked about the statements he had been making, per the complaint. He allegedly stated that he traveled to Washington, D.C., on April 8 to "express his concerns about issues he believes government officials can resolve," according to the DOJ.
Prosecutors say Carnes admitted to living in his vehicle. He allegedly told law enforcement in his Facebook posts to track it down and try to find him.
"When I tell y'all to get behind my car. This red b— here," Carnes allegedly said. "I don't give a f— if the insurance ain't paid, I don't give a f— if the motherf—ing tag ain't on that b—. I don't give a f— if all the windows off this motherf—er, I don't give a f— if all I have is the motherf—ing rim. I DON'T GIVE A F—! Cause I'm sick of y'all motherf—ing threats."
On June 10, Carnes allegedly turned himself in to police and claimed he had explosive materials in his car, which he threatened to use against law enforcement, per local CBS affiliate WNCN. A K-9 performed an open-air sniff around the vehicle and alerted on the potential presence of explosive materials, per the DOJ.
"Based on that, RPD Bomb Squad conducted a public safety sweep of the vehicle where they recovered an empty plastic PVC pipe and metal pin that were the alleged explosive materials in the vehicle," the complaint says. "Those items matched those shown by [Carnes] in his posts where he claimed they were explosive devices."
Carnes was arrested and charged with two counts of perpetrating a hoax involving a purported explosive device at a public building and is expected to be charged in connection with the threats he allegedly made against the president.
Carnes is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary and detention hearing on June 22, according to online court records.