US man charged with threatening to kill Donald Trump, whom he called ‘Hitler’

Name: One year after US Capitol attack, Biden addresses the state of American democracy
Uploaded: 2022-01-10T17:27:37.000Z
Duration: 3 min 32 s
Description: One year after US Capitol attack, Biden addresses the state of American democracy

Thomas Welnicki, 72, allegedly told police that if Trump lost the US election and refused to step down, he would ‘acquire weapons’ and ‘take him down’

He also inquired about Secret Service protection for former presidents and their children

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US president Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he makes his way to board Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House in September 2020. Photo: AFP

Reuters

Published: 1:27am, 11 Jan 2022Updated: 2:26am, 11 Jan 2022

A New York man was criminally charged on Monday with threatening to kill former US president Donald Trump, who he once referred to as “Hitler”.

Prosecutors said the defendant, Thomas Welnicki, 72, of Rockaway Beach, threatened to do “everything I can” to ensure Trump’s death, and once inquired about Secret Service protection for former presidents and their children.

A federal public defender representing Welnicki did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lawyers for Trump did not immediately respond to similar requests.

Welnicki was charged with threatening to kill, kidnap and inflict bodily harm on Trump.

03:32

One year after US Capitol attack, Biden addresses the state of American democracy

The case was brought as the Republican former president continues to press false claims that widespread voting fraud caused him to lose re-election to Democrat Joe Biden.

A group of Trump supporters assaulted the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, in a failed bid to overturn the election results.

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