A Virginia man and former U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant accused of making repeated death threats against President Donald Trump has been released to home detention by a federal judge.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Ivan Davis ordered Peter Stinson to be sent home with GPS monitoring, despite a disturbing history of violent rhetoric on social media.
Stinson, 63, a retired sharpshooter who served in the Coast Guard from 1988 to 2021 and worked as a FEMA instructor, appeared in court Wednesday dressed in a green prison jumpsuit.
He now awaits possible federal charges while under house arrest.
Judge Davis ruled that Stinson could be released, stating that under strict conditions, he did not pose a threat to the community.
However, the ruling comes amid growing concern over politically motivated threats and domestic extremism targeting high-profile figures, including President Trump.
According to the Justice Department, Stinson allegedly made dozens of graphic and violent online posts threatening Trump over a five-year period.
Federal prosecutors pointed to Stinson’s own history as a trained Coast Guard marksman to argue the threats should be taken seriously.
Yet, some have argued that Stinson shouldn’t be considered dangerous because he described himself online as a “lousy shot.”
“He said things like, ‘Someone should take the shot,’ and ‘I’d take the shot, but I’m a lousy shot, so it would be a waste,’” Stinson’s public defender said during the hearing.
The defense lawyer argues the remarks were nothing more than hyperbolic political speech protected by the First Amendment.
But prosecutors pushed back hard, noting Stinson earned expert marksman ribbons during his military service.
In one particularly alarming post, Stinson reportedly said that Trump needed to be “[L]uigied.”
The comment was a reference to Luigi Mangione, the murder suspect accused of killing United Healthcare’s CEO.
An FBI task force officer revealed in a sworn affidavit that Stinson allegedly self-identified as a member of Antifa, the far-left extremist group associated with violent clashes and anti-government rhetoric.
On February 2, Stinson allegedly posted:
“Sure. This is war. Sides will be drawn.
“Antifa always wins in the end.
“Violence is inherently necessary.”
In other posts, Stinson reportedly suggested using guns, poison, and knives against Trump, while hinting that he was purposely downplaying his capabilities.
One of his final posts, made just days ago on leftist social media platform BlueSky, reportedly read:
“When he dies, the party is going to be yuge.”
Federal officials also noted several cryptic references to “8647,” which they believe may reference an Instagram post from former FBI Director James Comey, further raising questions about Stinson’s motives and ideological leanings.
Though Judge Davis did not immediately rule in favor of the prosecution, he did grant the DOJ until next Wednesday to file additional written briefs to support their claims and potentially build a stronger case.
For now, Stinson remains under home detention with round-the-clock GPS surveillance.
The case has sparked renewed concerns about left-wing extremism and the politicization of violence, especially as the country heads into a contentious election season.
A Department of Homeland Security official said in a statement that the agency is monitoring the situation closely:
“Any credible threat to a former or sitting president is treated with the utmost seriousness.
“This case remains under active investigation.”
