Great Barrington Man Charged for Threatening Posts Targeting Trump

Andrew Emerald faces federal charges for months of escalating online threats against the former president.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 7:50pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a sharp dagger or blade against a pitch-black background, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash, conceptually representing the dangerous nature of online threats.A recent wave of online threats against public officials exposes the need for vigilance and swift action by law enforcement.Springfield Today

A 45-year-old man from Great Barrington, Massachusetts named Andrew Emerald has been arrested and charged with eight counts of interstate transmission of threatening communications for posting repeated, escalating threats on Facebook over several months in 2025 showing intent to kill former President Donald Trump. Federal authorities say they found several blades and daggers in Emerald's home after his arrest.

Why it matters

Threats against public officials, especially the President of the United States, are taken extremely seriously by federal law enforcement due to the potential risk to public safety and the stability of democratic institutions. This case highlights the challenges authorities face in monitoring and responding to online threats in a timely manner.

The details

According to prosecutors, Emerald's Facebook posts included statements like "we're going to kill trump on public television, so the world sees what we do to monsters....if trump is not dead by 2026...I'm going to Mar-a-logo and I'm going after myself." Emerald pleaded not guilty to the charges, which each carry up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

  • Emerald allegedly posted the threats on Facebook from May through July of 2025.
  • Emerald was arrested and made his first appearance in federal court in Springfield, Massachusetts on April 2, 2026.

The players

Andrew Emerald

A 45-year-old resident of Great Barrington, Massachusetts who was arrested and charged with eight counts of interstate transmission of threatening communications for posting repeated, escalating threats on Facebook targeting former President Donald Trump.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States who was the target of the alleged online threats made by Andrew Emerald.

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What they’re saying

“all you need to really do is recklessly make a threat to another person. It doesn't even have to be the president under that statute. You don't have to intend to carry out the threat. You don't have to intend that the person be threatened by it. All that's required is that, really, that the threat be made and that it be done in using interstate communications.”

— Jared Olanoff, Local Defense Attorney

What’s next

Emerald will remain in custody as his case moves through the federal court system. A judge will decide whether to grant him bail at a future hearing.

The takeaway

This case underscores the seriousness with which authorities treat online threats against public officials, even if the threatener does not intend to actually carry them out. It also highlights the challenges law enforcement faces in monitoring and responding to escalating digital threats in a timely manner.