Massachusetts 18-year-old charged with threatening to kill Trump "allegedly had the means to do it," FBI says
An 18-year-old Tewksbury, Massachusetts, man has been charged with threatening to kill President Trump, and the FBI said, "he allegedly had the means to do it."
Trenton Touch is accused of making violent and threatening content on four different Instagram accounts. According to the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney, Touch allegedly sent messages that included alleged threats to shoot up a school and "kill trump."
Investigators said on June 21, 2026, Touch allegedly posted an image of a firearm in an Instagram direct message with threats that read: "it's time," "im gonna kill trump," and "not yet unc I suck at shooting past 200 yards."
In July, investigators said Touch started messaging about acquiring guns, expressing frustration with Tewksbury police for not approving his application for a firearms identification card saying he was "gonna flip out."
In September, Meta alerted the FBI to the accounts that were allegedly making the threats. Investigators say the messages were sent to hundreds of people online over several months.
Touch was arrested on several gun charges on Oct. 26 after police obtained a search warrant for his home on Grasshopper Lane in Tewksbury. During a search of the home, authorities said they seized a revolver along with multiple military-style items including a hatchet and knife.
The revolver allegedly matched photos sent in messages on the accounts. Another search took place at Touch's grandparents' house in New Hampshire where the gun pictured in connection with the threat to the president was found in the basement.
Investigators said Touch made frequent references to mass shooters and referred to them as "heroes."
Tewksbury neighbors were alarmed to see an FBI raid on their street early last week.
"About 6 o'clock in the morning I heard a loud explosion which got me out of bed and I'm a Vietnam veteran and it shook me up," said neighbor Richard Frank. "They were running up between the two houses, there was another flash bang and then they brought a gentleman out. There was a lot of screaming and yelling and they put him in a car and took him away."
United States Attorney Leah Foley said the alleged threats "could not be ignored." "Threatening the President of the United States is a serious crime and is not protected free speech," Foley said.
Investigators also say they found items related to white supremacist and Nazi ideology.
Ted E. Docks, special agent in charge of FBI Boston, said Touch "posed a grave threat to public safety."
"Trenton Touch is an alleged white supremacist who now stands accused of threatening to kill the President," Docks said. "Based on the evidence recovered by FBI Boston's Joint Terrorism Task Force – including a firearm, military-style knives, a hatchet, and a ballistics helmet – he allegedly had the means to do it."
Touch was already arraigned on the gun charges and ordered held on $50,000 cash bail. He is currently in state custody and will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston on Monday.
