In one of his comments, the man allegedly wrote that he had ‘already mapped out roofs around’ the venue where Trump was expected to speak.
By Catholics for Catholics
A Kansas man who allegedly promised to shoot President Donald Trump and said he had already scouted rooftops close to his upcoming speech, generated a federal probe that landed him in custody before the visit.
Jaden J. Read, 24, of Clearwater, on Saturday was charged with making threats against the president, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas. Authorities arrested him that same day, two days before Trump’s scheduled Monday visit to Wichita.
The probe started on Oct. 15, when a Crime Stoppers tip informed authorities to comments beneath a KAKE News Facebook article about the president’s trip, prosecutors said, according to a story by the Epoch Times.
“Political violence and threats of political violence will not be tolerated,” U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser said in the statement. “The First Amendment allows for robust disagreement but there are constraints. I caution people to stay within the bounds of constitutionally protected speech.”
It remains unclear whether Read has been appointed an attorney.
🚨 BREAKING: A Kansas man has been ARRESTED by federal authorities for threatening to KlLL PRESIDENT TRUMP at his rally TONIGHT Jaden J. Read, 24, PUBLICLY posted on FB saying he would take Trump out himself with his 308. These people are SICK. Make an example out of him. https://t.co/Bb2ioSfeHs
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 19, 2026
After getting a Crime Stoppers tip about Read’s comments made in response to a KAKE News article covering Trump’s planned visit to Wichita on Oct. 19, Federal prosecutors said authorities began investigating him.
Allegedly, Read posted two comments linked to ammunition and a wish to murder the president.
In addition, authorities also discovered that Read had posted two more comments in response to a KWCH 12 News article about Trump’s visit. In the first comment, he allegedly wrote about assassination again.
About a minute later, Read allegedly posted another comment on the same article saying that he knew where Trump’s speech would take place and that he had “already mapped out roofs around” the venue.
