A 40-year-old podcaster and former Christian reality TV host faces up to 12 years in federal prison after a grand jury indicted him on charges of threatening to kill President Trump and cyberstalking the family of one of Trump's personal attorneys.
Federal agents arrested Benjamin Azariah Southworth in Los Angeles on Thursday, September 3, 2026, on three federal charges: cyberstalking, making harassing interstate calls, and threatening to kill the president. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California announced the indictment on X, saying his office would hold the line against political violence.
The charges paint a picture of an escalating campaign of threats and harassment carried out across multiple social media platforms and directed at both the president and people close to him. Southworth allegedly posted videos on Instagram calling for Trump's assassination, published the home address and phone numbers of a Trump attorney's family members, and left voicemails warning that "justice comes to your door."
Court documents obtained by the New York Post, which had a photographer present at the arrest, allege that on April 7, 2026, Southworth posted a video on his Instagram account containing a series of direct threats against the president. The documents, described as not publicly available, reportedly include the following statement from Southworth:
"I have been vocal in calling for the execution of Donald Trump. This government is illegitimate and out of control. It's time for course correction. Kill Donald Trump."
That was not the only alleged threat. The New York Post reported that Southworth also posted a video depicting himself raising a knife to Trump's head in the Oval Office. Court filings reportedly contain "a myriad of other examples" of threatening comments directed at the president.
Southworth also operated a website called "Holy Menace," which was still live at the time of his arrest. The site sold "Kill Trump" stickers for $5 each.
As federal agents took him into custody, Southworth reportedly shouted, "Donald Trump is a pedophile. The country has fallen!", per the New York Post's on-scene reporting.
Beyond the threats against the president, Southworth is charged with cyberstalking and harassing the family of one of Trump's personal attorneys. The attorney is not named in available reporting. Essayli said Southworth published the family's home address and phone numbers online, a tactic commonly known as doxxing, and then left threatening voicemails.
The New York Post reported that Southworth called the attorney's family at least 13 times with threatening messages. If convicted on all three federal charges, he faces up to 12 years in prison.
Essayli made clear in his public statement that the prosecution was not discretionary. Fox News Digital reported his full remarks:
"Threats against the President of the United States are federal crimes. We will not tolerate threats of political violence in the United States. My office will prosecute anyone who crosses that line to the fullest extent of the law."
Essayli also stated that Southworth "targeted the family of the President's personal attorney by publishing their home address and phone numbers, and leaving voicemails threatening 'justice comes to your door.'"
Southworth's biography reads like a case study in radical personal reinvention. In the late 2000s, he hosted a Christian reality television show called "The Remix," which aired on major Christian networks including National Religious Broadcasters TV. The show featured Christian musicians and bands.
In 2008, Southworth came out as gay. By 2010, he was the opening act for Ray Boltz, a gay Christian singer, on a nationwide tour. In 2020, he launched a podcast called "Yass, Jesus!", described as "an interfaith and sexuality affirming comedy podcast that believes you don't have to pick between gay and God." His co-host was Daniel Franzese, an actor known for his role in "Mean Girls."
At some point between launching a comedy podcast about faith and sexuality and his arrest, Southworth began posting explicit threats against the sitting president of the United States, selling merchandise calling for Trump's death, and allegedly stalking the family of one of Trump's lawyers. The timeline in the court filings traces the alleged threats back to at least April 2026, but the full scope of the alleged conduct remains unclear because the documents are not publicly available.
White House spokesperson Davis Ingle responded to the arrest in a statement to Fox News Digital:
"Anyone who engages in or endorses political violence or assassination culture must be condemned in the harshest terms possible."
Ingle added that those who make such threats "should also immediately seek psychiatric help to treat their severe and debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that has warped their brains and made them sick in the head."
The subheadline of the Fox News Digital report references Rep. Randy Fine, a GOP congressman, who reportedly spoke with the outlet after the arrest. Fine was described as a target of threats from Southworth alongside Trump, but the published article does not detail the specific threats against Fine or include direct quotes from the congressman. That gap leaves an open question about whether Southworth faces additional charges related to threats against members of Congress.
The case still has significant holes in the public record. The specific federal agency that conducted the arrest, whether the FBI, Secret Service, or another agency, is not identified in available reporting. The identity of the Trump attorney whose family was allegedly targeted has not been disclosed. Southworth's current legal status, whether he has been arraigned, detained, or released on bond, is also unclear. And whether he has retained defense counsel is unknown. He could not be reached for comment.
What is clear is the alleged conduct itself: a man who once hosted Christian television allegedly spent months posting explicit calls for the president's assassination, sold merchandise celebrating that message, and harassed the family of one of Trump's lawyers with at least 13 phone calls and the public exposure of their home address.
Threatening to kill the president is a federal crime, not a form of political expression. The fact that it needs to be enforced this aggressively tells you something about the climate the people responsible for that climate refuse to acknowledge.
