EXCLUSIVE: New York Man Admits Writing 'Somebody Needs to Kill' Trump Post During FBI Raid — But Claims He Never Wanted to Hurt Prez
Donald Trump was allegedly targeted in a series of threatening X posts now at the center of a federal criminal case in New York.
Sept. 9 2026, Published 3:20 p.m. ET
A New York man accused of posting chilling assassination threats against President Trump allegedly admitted writing the messages when FBI agents confronted him — but insisted he never actually wanted the president harmed, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to court documents obtained by Radar, federal authorities have charged James Michael Breen Jr. with two counts of knowingly and willfully making threats against the president and one count involving an interstate threat against a cabinet-level Trump administration official.
'Somebody Needs to Get Him'
Federal investigators say an X account linked to James Michael Breen Jr. posted a series of disturbing messages.
The case was filed Monday, September 7, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York. An affidavit supporting the criminal complaint said the FBI's Albany office received information about an X account investigators believed belonged to Breen Jr.
Federal authorities claimed the account had published a series of posts between July and August that appeared to threaten Trump as well as other senior administration officials. One post cited by investigators was allegedly published on August 1 and said the world would be a "better place" if Trump and one of his supporters "were assassinated."
Another post, made minutes earlier that same day, allegedly declared "somebody needs to kill him" while discussing Trump, according to the affidavit.
FBI Raids Albany Apartment
The FBI investigation escalated when agents executed a federal search warrant.
Days later, on August 7, the account allegedly turned its attention to an unnamed cabinet member. Investigators said the post asked: "who will be the first to take a shot" at the official, who is identified only as V-1 in the court filing. The affidavit does not publicly identify the cabinet official.
The investigation escalated on September 7 when FBI agents executed a federal search warrant at Breen Jr.'s Albany apartment.
Authorities were authorized to search for and seize evidence related to suspected threats against the president and interstate communications containing threats to kidnap or injure, according to the filing. Agents interviewed Breen Jr. during the search.
James Michael Breen Jr. Confesses
Breen Jr. allegedly acknowledged writing the three X posts.
The affidavit noted that Breen Jr. was not initially placed under arrest and agreed to speak with investigators. What he allegedly told agents could now become central to the federal case.
Breen Jr. allegedly acknowledged using X and admitted making the three posts identified by federal investigators. However, authorities said he also maintained that he did not wish physical harm on Trump or the unidentified cabinet official.
He allegedly told agents he never intended to incite violence through his social media activity and claimed the posts were instead meant to express his belief that Trump and the cabinet member should be removed from office – not physically attacked.
Feds Find Probable Cause
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Federal investigators said Breen Jr.'s explanation did not stop them from finding probable cause.
Despite his explanation, investigators said they found probable cause to believe Breen Jr. knowingly and willfully made threats to take the president's life by encouraging someone to assassinate him.
The affidavit further alleged his message concerning V-1 constituted an interstate communication containing a threat.
The allegations cap a federal investigation that, according to the filing, traced the threatening posts to Breen Jr. before agents searched his Albany home and questioned him about the messages.
