A Los Angeles podcaster has been arrested on federal charges after prosecutors accused him of repeatedly threatening to kill President Donald Trump while also targeting the president’s longtime personal attorney and members of the lawyer’s family.
Benjamin Azariah Southworth, 40, was taken into custody Thursday morning at his residence in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles after a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against him one day earlier.
Southworth is charged with one count of making threats against the president, one count of cyberstalking and one count of making harassing interstate telephone calls, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
Federal prosecutors allege that Southworth used multiple social media platforms and a website between January and May 2026 to publish threats against Trump while encouraging harassment of the president and his supporters.
Southworth previously hosted the Christian reality and music television program “The Remix” on TBN and later co-hosted the comedy podcast “Yass, Jesus!” He also operated the website Holy Menace, where he described himself as an “artivist” and sold political merchandise, according to reports.
The federal indictment alleges that Southworth’s online conduct escalated beyond political criticism and included explicit statements about killing Trump.
In an April 7 Instagram video cited by prosecutors, Southworth allegedly said he had been “vocal in calling for the execution” of Trump before declaring, “It’s time for course correction. Kill Donald Trump.”
Court documents cited in reports also describe private messages allegedly sent by Southworth months earlier in which he discussed what he might do if he encountered a Trump administration official in person.
Prosecutors further allege that Southworth used his online accounts to target a lawyer who had served as Trump’s personal attorney.
The Justice Department identified the attorney in court documents only as “Victim 1,” though news reports identified him as Jay Sekulow.
In January, Southworth allegedly posted the attorney’s home address on TikTok alongside a photograph of the attorney and another image showing his residence. Prosecutors said the post included the message, “No peace for traitors.”
The alleged harassment then expanded to members of the attorney’s family.
According to federal prosecutors, Southworth left abusive online messages and voicemails for the attorney’s son between January and May while also making repeated interstate telephone calls to the attorney’s wife.
The source report states that prosecutors accused Southworth of calling members of the family at least 13 times.
In one alleged voicemail, Southworth warned that “justice” would eventually come to the family’s door.
He is also accused of publicly posting telephone numbers belonging to the attorney’s relatives in February while encouraging others to contact them.
Federal authorities highlighted several additional videos and posts in building their case.
On March 31, prosecutors allege Southworth posted another video in which he made explicit remarks about killing Trump after discussing a Supreme Court decision involving conversion-therapy restrictions, per Trending Politics.
A week later, prosecutors said he posted the April 7 video containing another direct call for Trump’s death. Another video allegedly depicted Southworth appearing to teleport into the White House before raising a knife behind an image of the president.
Southworth later described some of his comments as “just rhetoric,” according to court documents cited in the source. Prosecutors nevertheless allege that the threatening statements continued.
Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department would respond to threats against the president with the “full force of the law.”
“We will hold perpetrators of violent threats accountable,” Blanche said in a statement announcing the arrest.
First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli similarly said there is “zero tolerance for political violence,” adding that threatening elected officials can result in arrest and prosecution.
The FBI and Secret Service jointly investigated the case.
Federal officials stressed that the indictment contains allegations and that Southworth is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, Southworth faces a statutory maximum of five years in federal prison on the charge of threatening the president, another five years for cyberstalking and up to two years for telephone harassment.
