A federal employee tasked with helping keep America’s skies safe is reportedly now at the center of a troubling case involving alleged threats against Donald Trump, underscoring growing tensions at home as conflict abroad continues to weigh heavily on some Americans.
According to the U.S. attorney’s office in Concord, New Hampshire, 35-year-old Dean DelleChiaie, an employee of the Federal Aviation Administration, was arrested Monday after authorities said he threatened to kill the president. Officials say the alleged threats were tied in part to DelleChiaie’s anger over the war against Iran, highlighting how foreign policy decisions can ripple back domestically in unpredictable and dangerous ways.
The case began when DelleChiaie reportedly used his government-issued work computer in late January to conduct a series of alarming internet searches. According to an affidavit, those searches included phrases such as how to bring a weapon into a federal building, past assassination attempts against the president, and even a direct statement reading “I am going to kill Donald John Trump.” He also looked up the home locations of Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Those searches triggered concern within the FAA’s Information Technology department, which alerted the United States Secret Service after DelleChiaie allegedly attempted to have his browsing history deleted. Investigators say that step only deepened suspicion about his intent.
On Feb. 3, agents from the Secret Service, accompanied by local police, visited DelleChiaie’s apartment in Nashua. During that encounter, he admitted to conducting the searches and expressed remorse, acknowledging that using his work computer for such activity was “crazy,” according to investigators.
Still, authorities say the situation escalated. During the visit, agents observed handwritten notes on a whiteboard in his apartment that included phrases referencing self-control, avoiding arrest, and even statements about telling authorities “I am going to murder Donald John Trump — per defense of oath.”
DelleChiaie told investigators he had been upset with the current administration over several issues, including the election, presidential pardons, and documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein. He also admitted to a broader interest in assassination-related topics, though he claimed those searches were part of what he described as a troubling mental cycle.
The affidavit paints a picture of a man struggling with personal issues. DelleChiaie reportedly told agents he suffers from depression, is undergoing therapy including ketamine treatment, and has a history of heavy alcohol use, along with daily cannabis consumption and occasional use of mushrooms.
Authorities also noted that he owns firearms, including a handgun kept in a locked safe and additional weapons stored elsewhere.
The most direct threat, prosecutors say, came on April 21, when DelleChiaie allegedly sent an email from his personal account to a public White House address. In that message, he explicitly stated his intent to “neutralize/kill” the president, accusing Trump of harming children under the justification of war.
DelleChiaie now faces a federal charge of interstate communication of a threat against the president, which carries a potential penalty of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. He appeared in U.S. District Court in New Hampshire on Tuesday, though details of that hearing were not immediately available.
The case comes amid a series of recent incidents involving alleged threats against the president. Former James Comey was recently charged over a social media post that prosecutors say implied harm toward Trump, while another defendant, Cole Tomas Allen, faces accusations of attempting an assassination at a high-profile Washington event.
Taken together, these cases point to a deeply charged political climate where rhetoric and frustration—particularly surrounding war—can spill into dangerous territory. While law enforcement has acted swiftly in these instances, the underlying tensions serve as a reminder that conflicts abroad can carry serious consequences at home, sometimes in ways that test both public safety and the nation’s political stability.
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