U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks during a press conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on January 8, 2026 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Sipa USA).
A California resident is facing charges for allegedly threatening to assassinate Vice President JD Vance during a trip to Disneyland this summer, as reported by federal authorities.
Marco Antonio Aguayo, aged 22, has been charged with making threats against the president and those in the presidential line of succession. This charge is detailed in an 11-page criminal complaint filed in the Central District of California. Aguayo is from Anaheim, a prominent city near Los Angeles, known for its iconic Disneyland and neighboring Disney California Adventure park.
The alleged threats were reportedly made via Instagram, where prosecutors claim Aguayo posted a series of menacing comments on Disney’s official page on July 12, 2025.
One of the comments cited in the legal documents reads, “Pipe bombs have been placed in preparation for J.D. Vance’s arrival.”
Continuing with the alleged threats, Aguayo supposedly mentioned these explosive devices again, stating, “Good luck finding all of them on time there will be bloodshed tonight and we will bathe in the blood of corrupt politicians.”
In an additional comment, Aguayo is accused of writing, “It’s time for us to rise up and you will be a witness to it.”
After reviewing subscriber data, investigators were able to link the user’s screen name to an email address, and then the email to phone numbers belonging to the defendant, according to the complaint.
Authorities acted quickly in finding their suspect.
Later that same night, a few minutes before 11 p.m., federal and local law enforcement arrived at the defendant’s home, where his sister opened the door, the charging document says. Eventually, Aguayo agreed to speak with investigators outside of the residence.
“Aguayo initially denied knowledge of the posts and claimed that his account had been hacked; however, Aguayo ultimately admitted to making the threatening statements,” the complaint reads. “He claimed that he intended it merely as a joke to provoke attention and laughter. Aguayo stated he contemplated deleting the post but ultimately forgot to do so.”
The defendant then gave the investigators permission to search his cellphone, according to the U.S. Secret Service.
“I reviewed the Instagram application on this mobile device, which showed Aguayo logged into four different Instagram accounts,” the complaint goes on.
One of the accounts Aguayo was logged into on his cellphone was the handle that made the threats against Vance’s life, authorities allege.
“I also observed the three threatening Instagram posts on this device,” the Secret Service agent went on in the complaint. “Aguayo stated his only active social media platforms are Instagram and WhatsApp.”
The alleged threats coincided with a trip Vance and his family made to Disneyland that very same day last July.
The complaint was filed Wednesday. It is not clear if Aguayo is in custody as of this writing.
