A man from Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison after admitting to posting threats online against President Joseph Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. The sentencing took place on March 2, 2026, in federal court in Phoenix.
Michael David Hanson, 44, pleaded guilty to making threats against the President and Successors to the Presidency. According to court records, Hanson used an account on X (formerly Twitter) on December 22, 2023, to post a message that included: “#joeAndKamala I’m asking you to resign on Monday your alternative is death brutally murdered…” He admitted the threat was aimed at President Biden and Vice President Harris and that he intended it as a threat of violence.
Following his prison term, Hanson will serve three years of supervised release.
“Online death threats made against leaders of the United States are criminal acts, not protected speech,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “The U.S. Secret Service and Phoenix Police Department are to be commended for quickly identifying and arresting Mr. Hanson, whose 27-month sentence should serve as a warning that there are real-world consequences for threatening elected officials.”
William Mack, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Phoenix Field Office added: ”The U.S. Secret Service has zero tolerance for threats against our protectees. Let this serve as a warning. If you threaten the President of the United States, we will find you, we will arrest you and you will face justice,” he said. “We want to thank the Phoenix Police Department as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona for their assistance in this case.”
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service and Phoenix Police Department with prosecution handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
For further details about the work of the District of Arizona’s U.S. Attorney’s Office visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
