A Michigan man sharing a strikingly similar name to the vice president has landed himself in hot water for a series of chilling threats against top national figures. His online rants have now earned him a two-year stint in federal prison.
James Donald "JD" Vance Jr., 67, from Grand Rapids, pleaded guilty to threatening to kill and injure President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Elon Musk, and Donald Trump Jr., as detailed by Newsmax. His menacing posts on the Bluesky platform under the handle "Diaperjdv" sparked swift action from federal authorities.
The defendant, unrelated to Vice President JD Vance despite the name overlap, posted explicit threats that left little to the imagination. Prosecutors revealed his April 1 message stating, "If tRump, Vance, or Musk ever come to my city again, they will leave it in a body bag," a statement that reeks of reckless hostility.
That wasn't the only time James Donald Vance Jr. let his fingers run wild on social media. On March 7, in a post titled "Donald Trump Jr. Considering a Run for President in 2028," he wrote, "I will murder that stupid [expletive] before he gets secret service protection," according to investigators.
Such words aren't just idle venting; they signal a willingness to cross into violence over mere political disagreements. When someone publicly fantasizes about body bags and murder, it’s a red flag that demands accountability, not a shrug.
Adding to the severity, he even mused about expecting to die in a clash with law enforcement or spend his life behind bars. That self-awareness of consequence makes his threats all the more calculated and unsettling.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey didn’t mince words about the broader impact of such behavior. He noted that these threats represent an attack on democratic institutions by sowing fear and eroding public confidence in our system.
VerHey’s point hits hard: when political frustration spills into violent rhetoric against national leaders, it’s not just a personal failing, it’s a societal wound. We can’t let unchecked anger morph into a weapon that silences discourse or intimidates public servants.
Further threats against Musk and additional hostile messages aimed at Trump only deepened the case against Vance Jr. His guilty plea to two felony counts, including interstate threatening communications, reflects the gravity of his actions.
This isn’t an isolated incident in the Grand Rapids region, as federal officials pointed out. Just last month, Richard James Spring from suburban Grand Rapids was sentenced to 18 months for posting a vile threat on X about assaulting a woman in front of Trump before killing him.
Spring’s related TikTok rants, including a taunt that users would "watch your god DIE," show a disturbing trend of online vitriol boiling over into actionable danger. It’s a stark reminder that social media isn’t a free-for-all for violent fantasies, no matter how anonymous one feels.
William Shink, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Detroit field office, affirmed their commitment to rooting out such behavior. He made it clear that anyone targeting national leaders or their families with threats will face investigation and prosecution without hesitation.
Shink’s resolve sends a necessary message: accountability doesn’t bend to political divides or personal grudges. Threats like those from Vance Jr. and Spring aren’t just words; they’re a direct challenge to the safety of those who serve and shape our nation.
In a time when tensions run high, we must prioritize a culture where disagreement fuels debate, not death threats. Letting this kind of rhetoric slide risks normalizing a dangerous precedent that no one, on any side of the aisle, should want.
Cases like these underscore the need for vigilance against those who would weaponize their anger, hiding behind keyboards to terrorize. If we value a free society, we must ensure that freedom doesn’t become a shield for violence, but a call to responsibility.
