A 41-year-old Virginia man has been sentenced to over two years in federal prison for making violent threats against President Donald Trump and his family on social media. Valeriy Kouznetsov pleaded guilty to transmitting interstate threats, following a series of posts referencing a prior assassination attempt. The sentencing comes after Kouznetsov's history of similar threats, including a 2020 incident at a Trump hotel.
Valeriy Kouznetsov, a 41-year-old from Virginia, was sentenced on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston to 27 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to one count of making threatening interstate communications; two other charges were dismissed.
The investigation began after the U.S. Secret Service examined posts from the X account @VVKTsar. On April 17, 2025, the account called Trump "a hopeless and helpless American b—" and stated, "I will murder all of you filthy rats."
Earlier threats included a March 28, 2025, post: "B— Trump you provide these suckers security against audit get out of office now Trump I see right away how you affected the situation you either fix it now or you will pay dearly with your family security you want another 7/13 secret service repeat." This referenced the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.
On April 14, 2025, another message read: "I don't just accept anything I literally mean getting down on their knees and worshiping and begging for forgiveness and mercy and Trump is too old but your family will pay."
An April 19, 2025, post stated: "I murder all of you including chump (the president)." The account, linked to an email and IP address in Reston, Virginia, also threatened other officials.
Kouznetsov has a prior conviction from 2020. On July 12, 2020, he jumped barriers at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., telling security he planned to kill Trump by stabbing him in the heart, cutting off his head, and blowing up the hotel. He also expressed interest in taking First Lady Melania Trump as his wife. Days later, in a Maryland store, he repeated threats and mentioned returning with an assault rifle.
He pleaded guilty in 2022 to threatening the president, receiving 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In April 2023, outside the White House, he was arrested for possessing a controlled substance and violating release terms, leading to a one-year-and-one-day sentence after revocation.
Kouznetsov had moved to South Carolina in 2025 but was tied to the Virginia-based account.
