Three University of South Alabama students were arrested and charged in federal court after social media posts allegedly threatened President Donald Trump shortly before his campus rally. FBI affidavits say investigators discovered the posts through social media monitoring and used emergency disclosure requests plus university police information to identify the suspects. One post referenced Utah Valley University, the site of a campus shooting last year; other posts appeared on TikTok and X. The university condemned threats while underscoring the line between protected speech and illegal intimidation.
Three University Of South Alabama Students Charged Federally Over Alleged Social Media Threats To Trump Before Campus Rally
President Donald Trump takes the stage at a campaign rally in the Mitchell Center at the University of South Alabama, Friday, in Mobile, Ala.
Three students at the University of South Alabama were arrested Friday and charged in federal court after authorities say they posted threats targeting President Donald Trump in the days before his campus rally, according to court filings and local reporting.
Charges And Investigation
Federal affidavits cited by local outlets say investigators located the posts through social media intelligence work performed ahead of the president's appearance. Agents used emergency disclosure requests and information provided by University of South Alabama police to identify and locate the suspects, the filings indicate.
President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in the Mitchell Center at the University of South Alabama on Friday in Mobile.
According to the documents: one student allegedly posted a threatening comment beneath a TikTok video about the planned campus visit; a second allegedly posted on X that people would "remember the University of South Alabama the same way they remember Utah Valley University," a reference to a campus shooting at Utah Valley University last year; and a third is accused of replying to a TikTok post about the appearance.
Campus And Official Responses
University officials clarified that the rally was not sponsored by the school and that the Mitchell Center was rented by the Republican National Committee. In a statement to Fox News Digital, the University of South Alabama said it "unequivocally condemns any form of threats directed at elected officials or any individual with whom we disagree" and emphasized the distinction between protected free expression and unlawful intimidation or threats.
President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in the Mitchell Center at the University of South Alabama on Friday.
Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch said his office was assisting federal authorities as they monitored relevant social media activity leading up to the event.
Rally Proceeded
President Trump took the stage Friday evening for a midterm campaign rally at the Mitchell Center as scheduled. During his remarks he referenced returning to Mobile about 11 years after a 2015 visit and acknowledged local officials, including Sheriff Burch and University President Jo Bonner.
Federal agencies including the Department of Justice, the FBI and the Secret Service were contacted for comment, according to reporting.
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