New York man arrested after allegedly threatening Donald Trump Jr during live podcast

WASHINGTON, DC: A New York man has been arrested and charged in connection with alleged threats made against Donald Trump Jr during a livestream of his popular podcast, according to federal prosecutors.

The arrest comes after authorities said a series of alarming messages appeared in the live chat of Trump's June 18 broadcast of ‘Triggered with Donald Trump Jr’ on Rumble.

Prosecutors allege the comments prompted intervention from the US Secret Service and ultimately led to federal charges against the suspect.

Donald Trump Jr podcast livestream sparked federal investigation

According to the US Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York, 39-year-old James Gerald Eckert Jr of Rochester has been charged with threatening to kill, kidnap, or inflict bodily harm on a member of the immediate family of the president.

The complaint alleges that the threats were posted during a livestream of Donald Trump Jr's podcast on June 18.

Authorities said a Secret Service agent assigned to Trump's residence became aware of the messages after a user allegedly flooded the livestream chat with violent comments directed at the president's son.

Among the messages cited in court documents were statements including, "I'm going to kill you" and "I am going to kill this f****r on the screen."

Federal prosecutors allege the messages were serious enough to trigger an immediate investigation.

Prosecutors say threats continued during separate livestream

According to the complaint, Eckert was not only participating in the chat but was also livestreaming himself while watching the podcast.

Prosecutors claim that during an approximately eight-minute broadcast, he allegedly repeated similar threats directed at Donald Trump Jr and Rumble's chief executive officer.

Court documents cited additional statements allegedly made during the stream, including, "your f*****g dead, its over guys" and "I'm still going to f*****g kill Trump Junior."

Authorities have not publicly indicated that any physical attempt was made to carry out the alleged threats.

However, prosecutors argued that the statements warranted federal intervention due to the protected status of the individuals involved.

Additional alleged threats targeted public officials

Federal authorities also allege that the threatening behavior extended beyond Donald Trump Jr.

According to prosecutors, Eckert allegedly posted a message threatening the family of Rochester Mayor Malik Evans. Investigators further claim that he later wrote "You are going to die" on the official Facebook page of New York State Senator Samra Brouk.

The additional allegations were included in court filings that outlined the broader scope of the investigation.

The complaint paints a picture of what prosecutors describe as a pattern of threatening online conduct directed at multiple public figures.

Eckert made his initial appearance in federal court on Monday following his arrest. According to prosecutors, he remains in custody and is scheduled to appear for a detention hearing on July 20.

If convicted of the charge of threatening a member of the president's immediate family, he could face a maximum sentence of five years in prison.