A Grand Rapids, Michigan, man has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for threatening to kill President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and two other individuals, federal authorities said. In an unusual coincidence, the defendant shares the same last name and initials as the vice president.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, James Donald Vance Jr., 67, pleaded guilty to charges of threatening to kill or injure the president and vice president, as well as interstate threatening communications. Prosecutors said Vance Jr. made the threats in March and April 2025 using an alias on the social media platform Bluesky.
Federal court records show that Vance Jr. posted messages stating his intent to carry out the threats and indicated he was unconcerned about being shot by the U.S. Secret Service as a result of his actions. Prosecutors said the messages targeted four people, including President Trump, Vice President Vance, and one of the president’s children.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey emphasized the seriousness of online threats against public officials. He said the internet provides an important forum for public discourse but warned that it cannot be used as a tool for intimidation or violence.
“The advent of the internet gives us all an opportunity to engage in the healthy exchange of ideas that are so important to a democracy,” VerHey said in a statement. “But some would rather use this tool to threaten and intimidate, conduct that causes fear and damages our democratic ideals. When Vance said he planned to kill our President and the Vice President simply because he disagreed with them, he crossed a line we all understand and so had to be punished.”
Authorities said the case reflects a broader concern about threats directed at elected officials. Prosecutors noted that this was the second incident within a month in the Western District of Michigan involving threats against President Trump.
In a separate case, Richard Spring of Comstock Park was sentenced in October to 18 months in federal prison for making threats against Trump on social media platforms X and TikTok. Spring pleaded guilty to one count of threatening to kill or injure the president.
In addition to his prison sentence, Spring was ordered to pay a $2,000 fine and will be placed on two years of supervised release after completing his incarceration, according to federal prosecutors.
Federal officials reiterated that threats against the president, vice president, and their families are taken seriously and will be aggressively prosecuted, regardless of whether the threats are made online or in person. Investigators continue to monitor online platforms for credible threats as part of ongoing efforts to protect public officials and uphold public safety.