James Gerald Eckert Jr., 39, of Rochester, New York, was arrested on June 18, 2026, for making threats against members of the President’s family.
The charges allege that he threatened to kill, kidnap, or inflict bodily harm. The federal offense carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
A U.S. Secret Service agent was alerted to multiple threats posted in the live chat of a podcast hosted by Donald Trump Jr. The threats were made from an account using the username JamesGeraldEckertJr.
The messages contained violent language and explicit threats to kill. They were directed at the podcast host and other individuals.
While streaming the episode on an online video platform, the same account posted additional threats against the host and the platform’s CEO, using profanity and violent imagery.
Earlier in June, the individual posted threatening messages on social media directed at a city mayor and a state senator, claiming that they would be harmed.
The Rochester Police Department detained him on a felony charge of second‑degree aggravated harassment as a hate crime. He was arraigned in city court shortly thereafter.
Eckert appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and was held pending a detention hearing scheduled for July 20, 2026.
A judge granted his release with non‑monetary conditions, allowing him to return to the community while the case proceeds.
A sealed federal complaint was filed the following day, and the case carries a potential maximum penalty of five years in prison.
