A California man has been taken into federal custody after allegedly using social media to threaten Vice President JD Vance with bomb attacks at Disneyland Resort during a July 2025 visit, according to a Friday announcement from the Department of Justice (DOJ).
According to the Daily Caller, federal prosecutors allege that 22-year-old Marco Antonio Aguayo used Instagram to declare that pipe bombs have been placed in preparation for J.D. Vances arrival on the day the vice president visited the Anaheim theme park. Authorities reportedly went to Aguayos residence later that same day, where he surrendered his phone as the FBI, Secret Service and local law enforcement launched a joint investigation into the alleged plot.
The DOJs statement cites another chilling message attributed to Aguayo, in which he allegedly wrote, Its time for us to rise up and you will be a witness to it. He is further accused of posting, Good luck finding all of them on time there will be bloodshed tonight and we will bathe in the blood of corrupt politicians.
Federal officials have charged Aguayo with making threats against the president and successors to the presidency, a serious offense that carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison if he is convicted. The Daily Caller News Foundation reported that no defense attorney for Aguayo could immediately be identified, underscoring how early this case remains in the judicial process.
This latest arrest adds to a troubling pattern of threats and attacks directed at Vice President Vance since he took office alongside President Donald Trump. In January, a 26-year-old man was arrested for allegedly smashing windows at Vances Ohio home while the vice president and his family were away, a suspect whom prior reports described as having a record of vandalism and a history of mental instability.
First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli underscored the gravity of the case with a pointed remark on X, saying Aguayo is now in the Unhappiest Place on Earth, a reference to his incarceration. Essayli added, First Amendment rights do not extend to threats to kill or injure others, especially our nations elected officials, and warned, Such conduct will not be tolerated and will not go unpunished.
Attorney General Pam Bondi framed the case as part of a broader climate of hostility toward conservative leaders, calling it a horrific reminder of the dangers public officials face from deranged criminals who would do them harm. She continued, I am grateful that my friend Vice President Vance and his family are safe, applaud the police work that led to the arrest, and will ensure my prosecutors deliver swift justice, a promise that reflects a firm law-and-order approach many Americans expect when political violence is threatened.
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