Fact Check: Former Coast Guard officer threatened to kill Trump with gun, knife, and poison.

Fact Check: Former Coast Guard officer threatened to kill Trump with gun, knife, and poison

What We Know

Peter Andrew Stinson, a former Coast Guard lieutenant, has been arrested and charged with threatening to kill President Donald Trump. According to charging documents, Stinson made explicit threats on social media, stating he would use a gun, knife, and poison against Trump. These threats were documented in a series of posts spanning from 2020 to the time of his arrest in 2023. Investigators interpreted Stinson's references to "orange" as coded language for Trump, indicating a clear intent to harm the former president (CBS News).

Stinson's social media activity included posts where he expressed a willingness to take violent action against Trump, stating, "I would do it. I would take the fall to save America" (Newsweek). The FBI confirmed Stinson's ownership of the social media accounts through subscriber information, further substantiating the claims against him (Police1).

Analysis

The evidence against Stinson is substantial, with multiple instances of documented threats that explicitly mention various methods of assassination, including the use of a gun, knife, and poison. The reliability of the sources reporting on this case, such as CBS News and Newsweek, is high, as they provide detailed accounts of the allegations supported by official documents and statements from law enforcement.

However, it is important to note that Stinson's defense claims that the charges are exaggerated and that he has not acted on these threats. This assertion raises questions about the interpretation of his social media posts and whether they constitute credible threats or merely expressions of frustration. Nevertheless, the FBI's investigation and the subsequent charges indicate that authorities view these threats as serious and actionable (Fox News).

In contrast, the case of Christopher Paul Hasson, another former Coast Guard officer, involved stockpiling weapons and creating a hit list of political figures, which was treated as a separate incident of domestic terrorism (AP News). While Hasson's case does not directly relate to Stinson's threats against Trump, it highlights a concerning trend of violent rhetoric and planning among individuals with military backgrounds.

Conclusion

The claim that a former Coast Guard officer threatened to kill Trump using a gun, knife, and poison is True. The evidence presented in the form of social media posts and the subsequent charges by federal prosecutors substantiate the seriousness of these threats. The reliability of the sources reporting on this matter further reinforces the validity of the claim.

Sources

1. Sentence upheld for Coast Guard officer tied to terror plot
2. Coast Guard officer accused of terror plot appeals sentence
3. Pete Stinson, Ex-Coast Guard Officer, Charged with Threating to Kill Trump
4. Former Coast Guard officer charged with threatening to kill ...
5. Coast Guard lieutenant, dubbed 'domestic terrorist,' had hit list of ...
6. Booking photo released of former Coast Guard officer ...
7. FBI: Coast Guard vet arrested for threatening to kill Trump
8. Sentence upheld for former Coast Guard officer tied to terror plot