Winthrop Harbor man accused of making death threats against Trump

A man from far north suburban Winthrop Harbor has been charged in federal court in Chicago with making a series of online threats to President Donald Trump and others, saying in one video posted to social media he could get “a lot of (expletive) guns” and would “take care of business himself.

Trent Schneider, 57, was charged in a criminal complaint unsealed Monday with making threats to injure another person. In several outbursts during his initial court appearance Monday afternoon, Schneider ranted about corrupt doctors, attorneys and judges, suggesting he was targeted for exposing the truth and that “the military is watching everything.”

Schneider also complained about the actions of the SWAT team that arrested him Monday, saying they knocked down a tree and tore up his yard with their equipment. “I thought a unicorn was coming with all that,” he said.

Prosecutors are seeking to have Schneider detained pending trial, and U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Gilbert set a detention hearing for Wednesday.

According to the complaint, Schneider had previously been charged in state court with making threats to “shoot up” a cellphone store, but was found unfit to stand trial in 2023.

On Oct. 16, Schneider posted a video to social media of him ranting about killing people he believed had slighted him, including Trump, according to the complaint.

“I’m going to get some guns,” Schneider was quoted in the complaint as saying. “I know where I can get a lot of (expletive) guns and I am going to take care of business myself. I’m tired of all you (expletive) frauds. People need to (expletive) die and people are going to die. (Expletive) all of you, especially you Trump. You should be executed.”

Several days later, U.S. Secret Service agents went to interview Schneider about the video. As they approached the home, they noticed cameras set up on tripods in the driveway, according to the complaint. When Schneider answered the door and was asked if he was the one responsible for the video, he “became irate and started yelling for the officers to get off his property,” the complaint alleged.

About an hour after the agents left, Schneider allegedly posted another video of the agents walking down his driveway, according to the complaint. The post contained the same threatening caption as the Oct. 16 video and repeated that Trump should be “executed,” the complaint stated.

A search of his social media accounts showed Schneider had made variations of the same post multiple times since September, and that many of them “included a tagged geolocation of the Trump Tower in Chicago.”

In his posts, Schneider also made repeated references to his home being sold at an auction scheduled for Tuesday, the complaint alleged. Public records confirm the home is in foreclosure.

jmeisner@chicagotribune.com