‘I’m Going to Murder the President’: Man Who Vowed to ‘Pull the Plug’ on Trump Charged, Feds Say

A former U.S. Air Force sergeant has been arrested for allegedly threatening to kill President Donald Trump. Markus Edward Hamlett, 46, is accused of sending over a dozen emails to federal officials, stating that he planned to assassinate the president.

The emails were sent to various news channels and government officials between May 17 and May 19, 2025. One message read, “I'm Markus Hamlett, and I'm publicly threatening Donald Trump. He's VERY dangerous, and I'll stop at nothing to stop him.”

Another threat allegedly written by Hamlett said, “I, Markus Hamlett, was in Washington, DC, on dates known to the government and my ex-wife. I went there to plan to murder Trump.” A follow-up message read, “I'm putting my intent to murder Trump all over the internet. The world will soon know what a DUMB B— that man is.”

According to court records, Hamlett was arrested in Florida on January 30, 2026, after barging into the Escambia County Sheriff's Office. Officers noticed the U.S. Secret Service was already on the lookout for Hamlett and alerted the agency to his arrest. Meanwhile, they held him at the Lakeview Center in Pensacola for mental health evaluation.

When the USSS agents interrogated Hamlett, he told them that he had been ‘waiting a long time to speak with them.’ The accused added, “I have been sending emails and making phone calls for a year trying to get arrested.”

Public records show that Hamlett was previously taken into custody in October 2025 for making similar threats against Trump. At the time, he called 911 and said he was planning to assassinate the president. The court document reads, “Hamlett stated he did make the 911 call with the above threat. He was arrested during that incident, and to his surprise, he was released shortly thereafter.”

According to the Department of Justice, Hamlett was indicted by a grand jury earlier in March on one count of threatening the president of the United States. His trial is scheduled to begin on April 6, 2026. If convicted, he will face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Hamlett served in the Air Force between 2001 and 2024 and faced legal troubles during his service. He was demoted from the rank of master sergeant after being charged with drunk driving and assaulting a police officer in 2023. Hamlett pleaded guilty to those charges.

He retired from the rank of technical sergeant in 2024. Before joining the Air Force, Hamlett also served in the Marine Corps for three years, between 1998 and 2001. Originally from Missouri, Hamlett currently lives out of a vehicle, according to court documents.

The news comes days after another man was indicted for threatening to kill Trump. On February 25, 20-year-old Phillip Wharton was charged with two counts of threatening a federal official after repeatedly posting death threats against the president on social media.