A Los Angeles podcaster, Benjamin Azariah Southworth, 40, was taken into federal custody Thursday morning on charges of repeatedly threatening to kill President Donald Trump. Prosecutors further allege Southworth targeted the President’s longtime personal attorney and members of that lawyer’s family through cyberstalking and harassing telephone calls.
"We will hold perpetrators of violent threats accountable." Attorney General Todd Blanche, U.S. Department of Justice
The arrest in Southworth's Westlake neighborhood residence followed a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury one day earlier. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced that Southworth faces one count of making threats against the president, one count of cyberstalking, and one count of making harassing interstate telephone calls. The Justice Department, in court documents, identified the attorney only as "Victim 1," though news reports have named him as Jay Sekulow, a prominent legal figure who has served as President Trump's personal attorney.
Federal prosecutors allege that Southworth utilized multiple social media platforms and a personal website, Holy Menace, between January and May 2026, to publish threats against President Trump. These online activities reportedly included encouraging harassment of the President and his supporters. Southworth, who previously hosted the Christian reality and music television program "The Remix" on TBN and later co-hosted the comedy podcast "Yass, Jesus!," described himself as an "artivist" on his website, where he also sold political merchandise.
The federal indictment details specific instances where Southworth's online conduct allegedly escalated beyond political criticism into explicit threats of violence. In an Instagram video posted on April 7, prosecutors claim Southworth stated he had been “vocal in calling for the execution” of President Trump, before declaring, “It’s time for course correction. Kill Donald Trump.” Court documents also describe private messages allegedly sent by Southworth months earlier, in which he discussed potential actions if he were to encounter a Trump administration official in person.
The alleged harassment extended to President Trump’s personal attorney and his family. In January, Southworth is accused of posting the attorney’s home address on TikTok, accompanied by a photograph of the lawyer and an image of his residence. The post reportedly included the message, “No peace for traitors.” The indictment further states that Southworth left abusive online messages and voicemails for the attorney’s son between January and May 2026. Additionally, he allegedly made repeated interstate telephone calls to the attorney’s wife, with prosecutors noting at least 13 such calls. In one alleged voicemail, Southworth warned that “justice” would eventually come to the family’s door. Federal authorities also accuse Southworth of publicly posting telephone numbers belonging to the attorney’s relatives in February, urging others to contact them.
Additional videos and posts were highlighted by federal authorities in building their case. Prosecutors allege that on March 31, Southworth posted another video making explicit remarks about killing President Trump, following a discussion about a Supreme Court decision concerning conversion-therapy restrictions. A week later, the April 7 video with the direct call for President Trump's death was posted. Another video allegedly depicted Southworth appearing to teleport into the White House before raising a knife behind an image of the President. While court documents cited in reports indicate Southworth later described some of his comments as “just rhetoric,” prosecutors maintain that the threatening statements persisted.
Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a statement following the arrest, emphasizing the Justice Department's commitment to responding to threats against the President with the “full force of the law.” Blanche stated, “We will hold perpetrators of violent threats accountable.” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli echoed this sentiment, asserting "zero tolerance for political violence" and noting that threatening elected officials can lead to arrest and prosecution. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Secret Service jointly investigated the case.
Federal officials underscored that the indictment contains allegations, and Southworth is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Southworth faces a statutory maximum of five years in federal prison for the charge of threatening the president, another five years for cyberstalking, and up to two years for telephone harassment. The arrest serves as a potent reminder of the legal consequences associated with escalating political rhetoric into alleged threats of violence.
