A New York City woman arrested for making graphic threats to kill President Donald Trump was quietly released in late August by Chief U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, an Obama appointee. Nathalie Rose Jones, 50, had been denied bond earlier by a U.S. Magistrate judge due to the nature of her threats, which included detailed plans to disembowel the former president and use a bladed object to “carry out her mission.”
Despite the seriousness of the threats, Judge Boasberg approved her release under strict conditions, including a GPS ankle monitor and mandatory mental health treatment. Jones was ordered to meet with her psychiatrist by 5 p.m. on August 27.
In the bond hearing, Boasberg acknowledged the “oddly specific” threats Jones had made but questioned whether they constituted a real danger. “If she had a gun with her this case is easy. But the question is, why shouldn’t we consider this the rantings of someone with a mental illness with no ability to carry this out?” he said.
Jones, who reportedly has schizophrenia, began making threats on Facebook in early August. One post said she was “willing to sacrificially kill” Trump, while another called for a mock arrest ceremony at the White House. In a voluntary interview with the Secret Service, she confirmed her intention to kill Trump and mentioned a “bladed object” she would use to do so. She claimed her motivation was to “avenge all the lives lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The Department of Justice described Jones as a “clear danger” and argued that her threats were “true threats,” not protected speech. Prosecutors said her actions showed “a penchant for violence” and a lack of concern for consequences.
Jones was arrested in Washington, D.C., after traveling from New York to attend a protest.
