A former lieutenant from the U.S. Coast Guard, with expertise as a sharpshooter in Virginia, stands accused of threatening the life of Donald Trump through a series of social media postings. He allegedly expressed a desire to “twist the knife” after plunging it into the president’s “fatty flesh.”

Peter Stinson, after dedicating 33 years to the Coast Guard and taking on the role of instructor at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), now faces a felony charge for issuing threats against the president of the United States, as indicated by court documents.

Federal agents say that Stinson has “self-identified” as a member of antifa on his social media profiles and began threatening violence against Trump in posts dating back to early 2020, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Investigators said that in online posts and conversations, Stinson often threatened Trump by referring to him through code names, including variations of the word “orange,” “one ear,” “Krasnov,” or just simply using the orange emoticon as a stand-in for the president.

For example, in February 2020, Stinson allegedly posted on X, formerly Twitter, that “orange must go,” meaning Trump, “at any cost.” In April of that year, he wrote that Trump “wants us dead” before adding, “I can say the same thing about him,” per affidavit says.

Three days later, he allegedly wrote that somebody “out to do more than sue the orange mf’s ass,” specifying that “It involves a rifle and a scope, but I can’t talk about it here.” Later that day, Stinson allegedly said that he would be “willing to pitch in $100 for a contract,” apparently referring to hiring a hit man to kill the president, a notion he returns to multiple times in the messages provided in the affidavit, saying it would “solve the solvable part of this problem in a crack.”

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Stinson on April 6, 2020, allegedly pleaded for someone to “pull the proverbial trigger” on Trump then wrote:

I would do it. I would take the fall to save America. Too bad I don’t have the operational skills to pull it off. I am willing to serve in a support capacity for someone else with the skills to take care of things.

Feds say that on at least three separate occasions between July and August 2020, Stinson wrote that he would “pull the trigger” on Trump, also apparently volunteering to “drive” for the hypothetical assassination because he’s “not a good enough shot,” per the affidavit.

“Let’s just shoot the orange and put him out of his misery,” Stinson allegedly wrote on Jan. 3, 2021.

Following the July 13, 2024, attempted assassination of Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, Stinson’s posts appeared to become more ominous and arguably reflective of real-world planning.

For example, on Dec. 11, 2024, he wrote:

2 things I learned this year: The AK is great for killing people, but if your target is a specific target at distance, it’s not the best tool. Don’t write s— down. Learn to plan in your head, not on paper. & be sure to destroy all evidence before.

On Jan. 29, 2025, he allegedly wrote that “poison” might be the best option, apparently referring to a method for killing the president.

“Poison,” he allegedly wrote again two days later. “That might be the only solution at this point. Take out 1 and 2. Got to get close to disperse. Need a plan. Anyone done this sort of work before?”

Less than a week later, Stinson responded to an online user who was frustrated over the quality of public sinks and suggested someone should be killed by writing, “If we’re planning murders, I’d like to suggest an orange one.”

Feds say that on Feb. 15, Stinson posted what appeared to be a plea for someone to kill Trump, ending the post with the line: “He who kills the President to save the country has broken no laws.”

Stinson three days later again appeared to encourage a shooter.

“Take the shot. We’ll deal with the fallout,” he allegedly wrote on the social media app Bluesky. “Politically, the only solution is impeachment. Realistically, the only solution is violence.”

Two days later he allegedly wrote, “I would twist the knife after sliding it into his fatty flesh.”

On Feb. 26, Stinson allegedly wrote that “one well placed shot would open up a whole new reality” and “Can orange explode?”

In March 2025, Stinson wrote that of Trump, “He needs to be luigied,” an apparent reference to Luigi Mangione, the person charged with assassinating the CEO of United Healthcare in New York City on Dec. 4, 2024.

Other posts from Stinson allegedly include him writing:

• “He’d look and sound better with a big red hole in his orange head,” in February 2025.
• “We know how it ends. In his third term. A couple of rounds to the chest cowering on the floor in the Oval Office,” in March 2025.
• “When he dies, the party is going to be yuge,” in June 2025.

Stinson appeared on Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ivan Davis, who ordered him held without bond pending his June 18 hearing.