A resident of Providence, Rhode Island, is facing federal charges for allegedly making threats against President Donald Trump and two senior administration officials. The threats were reported to have been made in a profane post on Truth Social in June.
Carl D. Montague, 37, was taken into custody on Wednesday, July 9, and charged with making threats against the president, interstate threats, and threats to assault, kidnap, or murder a United States official.
Court documents reveal that Montague’s threatening message, posted on June 27, 2025, targeted Trump, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. The post included explicit threats of gun violence against the officials, expressing an intent to shoot and kill them.
Trump Media and Technology, the owner of Truth Social, alerted the United States Secret Service about the threatening post around 11:30 p.m. on June 27. The FBI’s Strategic Information and Operations Center also received an electronic tip, leading to a federal investigation.
Federal agents tracked the IP address and email associated with the Truth Social username @tacoustic to Montague’s location in Providence. This led them to an apartment building on Plainfield Street, linked to a nonprofit organization assisting formerly incarcerated individuals with reintegration.
When FBI agents attempted to locate Montague on Sunday, several people outside the building recognized him as a friend of a resident. Agents returned on Monday, and residents suggested Montague was likely in a second-floor apartment. A building manager later confirmed Montague was inside, hiding in the bathtub.
Upon making contact, Montague reportedly began confessing to the threats before agents identified themselves or explained their purpose. FBI Special Agent Ciara Corbett stated in the criminal complaint that Montague admitted to posting the threat. He claimed he was heavily using marijuana at the time and deleted his Truth Social account after the post.
Montague expressed dissatisfaction with current politics and said he used Truth Social to voice his frustrations. He admitted to having no specific reason for targeting Miller and Bondi, having seen their names in previous posts. Montague also said he could not identify Bondi and expressed regret for his actions.
He told agents he had no intention of carrying out violence against any government officials. Investigators confirmed Montague does not own or have access to weapons and had no plans or means to travel for violent purposes. “It’s a shame you won’t get to see the end of our *** term,” the post read, as noted in the criminal complaint.
Montague appeared before United States District Court Magistrate Judge Amy E. Moses at 1 p.m. on Wednesday. Prosecutors argued for his detention, citing the violent nature of the threats and his criminal history. However, the judge allowed his release under strict conditions, noting Montague’s presence in the area for nine days between initial police contact and his arrest.
Conditions of Montague’s release require him to reside in one of the nonprofit’s residences, obtain mental health treatment, and avoid contact with the individuals named in the threat. He must surrender his passport, abstain from firearms, drugs, or alcohol, remain in Rhode Island, and actively seek employment.
Court records show Montague previously worked at Project Weber/Renew, a safe injection site in Providence, but has been unemployed with the organization for over a year. His attorney indicated that Montague lost his job due to funding cuts, subsequently losing health insurance and halting medication.
After his release from federal court on Wednesday, Montague confronted news cameras outside the courthouse. A court worker accused him of urinating in the cell block and interview room during detention. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan, with investigations conducted by the FBI, United States Secret Service, and Providence Police Department.