LA podcaster indicted for allegedly threatening to kill Trump, stalking his lawyer

Federal authorities arrested Benjamin Azariah Southworth, a 40-year-old Los Angeles–based podcaster, on a grand jury indictment charging threats against the current president, cyberstalking, and harassing interstate telephone calls for allegedly threatening to kill President Trump and harassing the president’s personal lawyer and family. Prosecutors say Southworth used Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok from January through May to call for the president’s murder and to publish the home address and phone numbers of Trump’s attorney, including a video behind a staged Oval Office scene with a knife. Westlake, California, was identified as his home during the arrest, and prosecutors describe the remarks as knowing and willful, meant to be taken seriously. If convicted on all counts, he faces up to 12 years in federal prison, with authorities pledging to pursue the full extent of the law against violent threats to the president. The case has been highlighted by federal prosecutors as a firm stance against political violence online, with statements from First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli and other officials underscoring the seriousness of threats against the president. Southworth previously hosted a gay rights–themed program and has been described as an advocate for LGBTQ issues in relation to his social media activity.