Venezuelan National Claims He 'Heard Voices' Telling Him to Kill Trump, Faces Multiple Charges After Alleged Threat

A Venezuelan national was arrested near the White House in Washington, DC, on Thursday, 5 November, after allegedly telling Secret Service officers he had heard voices instructing him to kill President Donald Trump. Federal authorities said the suspect had three firearms and dozens of rounds of ammunition inside a reportedly stolen vehicle.

The arrest followed an encounter on Constitution Avenue, where officers approached Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos after noticing suspicious behaviour. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), he acknowledged having weapons in the vehicle before officers searched it.

Venezuelan National Allegedly Heard Voices Telling Him to 'Kill Trump'

DHS said Chrinos told officers he had 'heard voices in his head' instructing him to travel to Washington, DC, and kill President Donald Trump.

Officers subsequently discovered three firearms alongside dozens of rounds of ammunition: an AR-15-style rifle, a MAC-10 machine pistol and a Glock 43X pistol. Authorities also determined that the vehicle had been reported stolen.

Chrinos faces multiple charges, including carrying a rifle outside a home or business, three counts of unlawful transportation of a firearm, three counts of carrying an unregistered firearm and three counts of carrying unregistered ammunition.

Additional charges include possession of certain dangerous weapons, carrying a pistol without a licence, unauthorised use of a motor vehicle, theft and receiving stolen property, according to DHS.

The allegations have not been established in court. Notably, the reported remarks about hearing voices were attributed to Chrinos by DHS and were not included in the criminal complaint described. Authorities have not publicly presented evidence establishing whether he had developed a specific assassination plan beyond the alleged statements.

Chrinos remained in custody following his arrest. DHS also alleged that he had entered the United States illegally through Texas in March 2024.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) subsequently lodged a detainer with the US Marshals Service, requesting that he remain in custody for potential immigration enforcement proceedings.

Trump Survived 2024 Assassination Attempt and 2026 White House Correspondents' Dinner Shooting

The latest arrest follows previous incidents that exposed security risks surrounding Trump, including a July 2024 assassination attempt in Pennsylvania.

On 13 July 2024, gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire during Trump's campaign rally in Butler, striking his right ear. One spectator was killed and two others were wounded before a Secret Service sniper killed Crooks.

The FBI later confirmed that Trump's injury resulted from a bullet, whether intact or fragmented, fired from the attacker's rifle.

Another alarming incident unfolded on 25 April 2026, when an armed suspect charged a security checkpoint at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC.

Suspect Cole Tomas Allen reportedly rushed the security checkpoint while armed with a shotgun and fired a shot. A Secret Service officer was struck in the chest, but his ballistic vest prevented serious injury. Security personnel returned fire, and Allen was apprehended before he could reach the ballroom.

Investigators reportedly examined a message in which Allen said he intended to target members of the Trump administration, prioritising officials according to their positions. Although he did not specifically name Trump in the message, the Justice Department subsequently charged him with attempting to assassinate the president.

Following the latest threat to Trump's safety, Secret Service Director Sean Curran expressed concern over the growing frequency of security incidents involving armed individuals near the presidential complex.

'We are alarmed by the increase in threat cases that continue to arise,' Curran said.