The Department of Justice arrested and charged a former Marine running for Congress in Florida who called for President Donald Trump to be killed.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida announced on Thursday that it charged William Upham, 35, of Jacksonville, Florida, with threatening the president. Upham could face up to five years in federal prison if he is convicted of the charge.
Upham, who is running as a write-in Republican candidate to represent Florida’s 5th Congressional District, was arrested after he stated in a social media video that he believed Trump to be the Antichrist and said the president “must be killed.” The Marine Corps disavowed Upham on Tuesday after reports of his comments circulated through the media.
In one of the videos detailed in the criminal complaint, Upham called on people to “overthrow the Trump administration on behalf of God” and called for the use of semi-automatic rifles in the process.
“We are at war with evil,” Upham said of the United States in another social media video. “This is a war between God and the Antichrist. There is no doubt in my mind that the president of the United States, Donald J. Trump, is the Antichrist. He is a false Messiah, and he is your enemy, and he must be killed.”
The Marine Corps said in a statement that it was “aware of the disturbing statements” made by Upham, who was medically discharged from his service in 2025. The Marine Corps said Upham’s comments “are a direct violation of the oath he swore to uphold and are not in keeping with the service’s values.”
Two days after the Marine Corps disavowed Upham, the DOJ announced his arrest. In the affidavit made by a U.S. Secret Service agent accompanying the criminal complaint, the agent noted that the agency was made aware of the two disturbing social media videos from Upham and a separate email Upham allegedly sent to a reporter in which the former Marine said he would “kill President Trump at the time that God chooses.”
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U.S. Magistrate Judge Samuel J. Horovitz signed the complaint and submitted it on Wednesday.
Upham is running as a write-in candidate against five-term incumbent Rep. John Rutherford (R-FL) and two other candidates in the Republican primary, set for Aug. 18. The Cook Political Report deems the seat to be a solidly Republican district.
