A man from Indiana has been taken into custody by the FBI for allegedly using TikTok to call for violence against the government and to threaten US President Donald Trump.
The authorities reported that Douglas Thrams, aged 23, from Goshen, posted several threatening videos on the social media platform this week.
Thrams is currently detained, awaiting his federal court appearance in South Bend on Monday. He has not yet secured legal representation to address the charge of making threats via interstate commerce.
FBI agent Taylor Pletz documented in a court filing that Thrams posted a TikTok video stating Trump needed to be killed “and this time don’t … miss,” seemingly referencing a failed assassination attempt in Pennsylvania last July.
Pletz said that Thrams was “visible, audible and identifiable” throughout all the videos.
The social media platform TikTok was scheduled for a nationwide ban, effective last Sunday. However, Trump suspended the ban for 75 days, allowing his incoming administration to evaluate security concerns and explore potential American ownership of the popular digital platform.