Justin Blaxton, 34, made his first court appearance after being arrested for making several alarming 911 calls on February 26, threatening President Donald Trump’s life.
In the calls, Blaxton made claims about assassinating the president, launching missiles, and seeking revenge. Despite authorities’ efforts, he was not found immediately. He was arrested the next day on multiple charges, including making threats to discharge a destructive device. Experts like former Secret Service agent Jason Russell suggest that threats against controversial figures like Trump are on the rise and that many individuals making such threats may be experiencing mental health issues.
“A good percentage of the people that make threats have some level of mental illness or they’re experiencing some type of mental breakdown,” said Russell.
Russell also explained that when threats are made against a sitting president, authorities take them very seriously. They don’t just focus on the words but also investigate behaviors such as weapon ownership or travel plans.
He further noted that the politically charged climate, particularly when controversial figures like Trump are involved, can lead to an increase in such scenarios.
