FBI arrests leftist Senate hopeful for alleged death threats against Trump, Congress member and daughter

A Pennsylvania man has been federally charged after the FBI said he made graphic death threats against a member of Congress, the member’s daughter and President Donald Trump between April 2025 and January of this year.

According to a criminal complaint filed by the FBI in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Raymond Chandler III, who recently declared that he was running for U.S. Senate as a Democrat in the state in the 2028 election cycle, has been charged with influencing, impeding or retaliating against a federal official by threatening a family member and by threatening a federal official and influencing, impeding or retaliating against a federal official by threat.

He allegedly left the first voicemail for the unnamed Congress member on April 18, 2025, an arrest affidavit says.

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“Sir, I have, uh, I’m calling this morning ’cause I want you to imagine a scenario. I want you to imagine a scenario where all the 1,200 billionaires in this country, all their properties are surrounded simultaneously by a thousand people,” a voicemail allegedly left by Chandler began.

“So imagine your house, your daughter’s house, everyone you know and love who is also rich. Imagine every single one of those homes being surrounded by a thousand people,” it continued. “Then imagine them all getting a text and then, then suddenly taking out their pocket knives, walking slowly towards your house with 10, you got your 10 guards or whatever against a thousand people, and then they come and they pull you out of your house and they slit your throat and they slit your daughter’s throat and they slit everyone’s throat. That you know, sir, that is the future. It’s not a future I want, it’s not a future I’m advocating for, but wealth concentration has gotten so bad in this country. The greed has gotten so bad. People are suffering so much, sir, that that is what is in our future. You will not escape their wrath. We must redistribute the wealth away from people like you.”

On Chandler’s campaign website, “Tax the Billionaires” is emblazoned atop a list of 16 priorities should he be elected. He is also focused on other far-left proposals like abolishing ICE and establishing universal basic income. He hopes to unseat Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn. in 2028. 

On April 29, 2025, according to the affidavit, Chandler called the same member of Congress, this time directing him to kill Trump.

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“You’ve probably getting quite used to my voice. Sir, I’m calling this evening because what I want you to do is I want you to take a firearm. I want you to put it in your hand. I want you to walk into the Oval Office. I want you to put that firearm to the President’s head, and I want you to pull the trigger and I want you to kill him,” that voicemail said, according to the complaint. “I am petitioning you, Senator for redress of grievances. My redress of grievances is that this president is awful . . . He’s a liar among all liars. He’s a great deceiver. He’s the antichrist. I want you to walk into the Oval Office with a gun in your hand. I want you to put it to his temple, and I want you to pull the trigger.”

“That is what I want you to do as my agent. That’s what I want you to do as my elected official. That’s what I am petitioning you to do with my free speech,” the message continued. “I want you to kill the President. I want you to assassinate the President. That’s what I want you to do. Now, Senator, are you gonna come after me? Are you going to try me because of my voice and what I said?”

The affidavit cites other voicemails left for the member of Congress, including two on April 28, 2025.

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In the first message, he allegedly “communicated his concern that some people would be sent to death camps and that he recently bought a seven-inch combat knife and a dagger because he is terrified that his government would kill him.”

In the second, he allegedly “communicated his support for armed resistance against ICE, along with his willingness to go to war and to ‘personally kill.'”

In another message from Jan. 12 of this year, Chandler is accused of again calling the member of Congress and saying that “violence has become necessary,” and communicating his intent to “organize armed resistance against ICE and identified those who deserve death, to include President Trump.”

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Chandler’s May 1 arrest came less than a week after an armed gunman, Cole Allen, allegedly attempted to rush the ballroom of the Washington Hilton Hotel where the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was being held. Trump was present at the dinner, along with high-profile cabinet officials. Prosecutors say Allen wanted to kill Trump and members of his administration.

Allen is the third person accused of attempting to kill Trump.

Thomas Matthew Crooks fired a shot at Trump on July 13, 2024, while Trump was speaking at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing the 45th and 47th president in the ear. He was shot dead by the Secret Service.

Ryan Routh was convicted in February of attempting to assassinate Trump at the Trump International Golf Club in Florida in September 2024. He was lying in wait for the president on the perimeter of the golf course before being spotted by a Secret Service agent. He was sentenced to life in prison.

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“On May 1, the U.S. Secret Service, in collaboration with the FBI, arrested an individual in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania who allegedly made threatening statements toward federal officials, including President Trump. Threats against our protectees will not be tolerated,” the Secret Service told Fox News Digital. “We will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure that anyone that threatens to harm the President is held accountable for their actions.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the FBI and White House for comment. It was not immediately clear if Chandler has an attorney.