Chicago man accused of threatening Trump, Secret Service agents

A Chicago man will appear in federal court Friday to face charges of threatening President Trump and Secret Service agents.

Michael Kovco, 29, is accused of sending a message through the White House website, threatening Trump and one of Trump's sons — then using that same website to threaten the Secret Service agent who came to his home to investigate the first threat, according to a news release from the U.S. attorney's office.

According to the release, Kovco sent the first threat on March 17, signing it: “Mr. I’m going to [expletive] kill your child Kovco."

That prompted the visit from a Secret Service agent and two other officers. Then, on March 19, according to the U.S. attorney's office, Kovco sent another message to the official White House website, and it included a threat against the Secret Service agent who had come to his door. "I’m going to buy a small concealable firearm and go shoot up his place of work," the message said, according to the release.

“It is never acceptable to threaten a law enforcement officer, political figure or a member of their family,” U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros was quoted as saying in a news release announcing the arrest. “Under my watch, political violence will be dealt with as the serious federal crime that it is.”

“The U.S. Secret Service’s top priority is safeguarding the president of the United States and all those we protect,” Dai Tran, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Chicago Field Office, was quoted as saying in a news release. “We take any threats seriously and aggressively pursue them to ensure our protectees’ safety."

Kovco was arrested on April 3 and charged with transmitting a threat via interstate commerce.