Three students from the University of South Alabama faced arrest on Friday for allegedly making threats against President Donald Trump. This incident happened just before Trump’s scheduled rally on the campus in Mobile, as reported by a reliable source to Fox News.
The students allegedly used social media to threaten the president in messages posted days before Trump’s visit. The Lagniappe Daily stated that federal cases against the students were unsealed hours before Trump’s appearance at the university’s Mitchell Center.
Investigations revealed these threats through social media intelligence searches carried out by federal investigators ahead of Trump’s visit. Using emergency disclosure requests and assistance from the University of South Alabama police, the FBI identified the suspects, as mentioned in the affidavits.
According to an FBI affidavit cited by Lagniappe, one student made a threatening comment about Trump under a TikTok post related to the president’s visit. Another student allegedly posted on X, hinting that the University of South Alabama might gain notoriety similar to Utah Valley University. According to the FBI, Utah Valley University was where conservative activist Charlie Kirk was tragically shot last year.
A third student reportedly responded to a TikTok post regarding Trump’s visit. Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch stated earlier that week his office was cooperating with federal authorities to monitor social media activity tied to the president’s event.
The University of South Alabama clarified prior to the rally that it was not a university-sponsored event. The Mitchell Center had been rented by the Republican National Committee (RNC) for the occasion. The university issued a statement expressing its stance against threats to elected officials or any person, advocating for open dialogue and civic participation. However, they emphasized the distinction between free expression and unlawful intimidation.
Trump went forward with the rally on Friday evening as planned, revisiting Mobile nearly 11 years after his initial 2015 rally during his first presidential campaign’s opening phase. He remarked to the crowd that his journey ‘sort of all began here,’ referencing the previous event in 2015. Additionally, Trump acknowledged Sheriff Burch and University President Jo Bonner from the stage.
Inquiries for more details were made by Fox News Digital to the Department of Justice, FBI, Secret Service, and the University of South Alabama.
Jasmine Baehr contributes to breaking news for Fox News Digital, covering politics, military affairs, legal matters on life and family policy, and cultural topics.