Former Air Force Airman Arrested for Threats Against President Trump
In a concerning development stemming from heightened political tensions, a Michigan resident has been detained by U.S. Secret Service agents. The 21-year-old former U.S. Air Force airman, Joshua Levi Young, stands accused of issuing violent threats against President Donald Trump, as detailed in recently unsealed federal court documents.
Young, hailing from Ishpeming, Michigan, allegedly made multiple threatening statements since January, urging violence against the President. These included social media posts with phrases like “Death to Trump,” “Death To POTUS,” and “Kill the dictator.”
The federal court records, disclosed on Thursday, formally charge Young with threatening the President’s life and transmitting an interstate threat, both of which are punishable by up to five years in prison. U.S. Magistrate Judge Maarten Vermaat has ordered that Young be held without bond following a detention hearing in Marquette.
Elizabeth LaCosse, Young’s attorney, has yet to provide a statement regarding these allegations.
This case is part of a broader pattern of increased violent antigovernment extremism in Michigan and across the nation. Notably, two assassination attempts targeting Trump have occurred since last year. Additionally, a former Michigan Army National Guard member faced charges in May for an attempted assault on a military base in Warren, allegedly in support of the Islamic State.
The investigation into Young began following an anonymous tip-off in mid-September about threats he allegedly made on Facebook. Subsequent investigations by Secret Service agents unveiled several threatening posts across Instagram, Facebook, and X throughout the year.
In one Instagram post, Young declared, “I am going to kill Trump raise him from the dead and kill him again,” accompanied by “Death to Trump.”
Investigators used public records to identify Young as the individual behind these posts, as noted by Special Agent Adam Rogers in the criminal affidavit.
The investigation team, including an Ishpeming Police sergeant, interrogated Young at his residence on October 7. During questioning, Young, who served in the Air Force from 2022 to 2024, reportedly expressed his disapproval of Trump’s actions, citing his identification as a gay/non-binary person aligned with the LGBTQ community and his dissatisfaction with the administration’s policies.
Young further voiced his frustration over the administration’s stance on immigration rights, noting, “I hurt when others hurt,” and confessed to creating the posts in question, according to court records.
Agent Rogers recorded that Young criticized the administration’s “lack of assistance and protecting the American people and protecting the elites,” a sentiment that fueled his anger.
Following the interview, authorities searched Young’s home, confiscating electronic devices as part of their ongoing investigation.
Subsequently, an employee at a Veterans’ Affairs clinic in Ishpeming alerted the police after Young visited seeking legal guidance. The employee reported that Young appeared to be exploring which countries do not extradite to the United States, possibly indicating his intention to flee.
_____
©2025 The Detroit News. Visit detroitnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
© Copyright 2025 The Detroit News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
