WASHINGTON, DC – A Venezuelan national has been arrested near the White House after allegedly threatening to kill US President Donald Trump and being found in possession of three firearms and dozens of rounds of ammunition.
The arrest comes just days after the US midterm elections and has renewed attention on security threats facing the president and other government officials.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that US Secret Service (USSS) officers arrested the man, identified as Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos, after discovering several weapons inside his vehicle, which was parked near the White House in Washington, DC.
According to the DHS, the incident occurred on Thursday evening, November 5, when Secret Service officers noticed Chrinos behaving suspiciously inside a vehicle parked along Constitution Avenue.
When officers approached him, Chrinos reportedly told them that he had been hearing voices in his head instructing him to travel to Washington, DC, and kill President Trump.
The officers subsequently discovered that the vehicle had been reported stolen. Chrinos also admitted that there were weapons inside the vehicle, prompting a search that uncovered three firearms, including a rifle, along with dozens of rounds of ammunition.
He was immediately taken into custody.
The DHS identified Chrinos as an undocumented Venezuelan national who was illegally residing in the United States.
He faces multiple charges, including carrying a rifle outside a home or business, three counts of unlawful transportation of a firearm, three counts of possession of unregistered firearms, three counts of possession of unregistered ammunition, possession of certain dangerous weapons, and carrying a pistol without a licence.
He has also been charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, theft and receiving stolen property.
Following his arrest, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer against Chrinos with the US Marshals Service, where he remains in custody.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin credited the Secret Service officers for intervening before the situation could escalate and potentially result in harm to the president or members of the public.
He added that Chrinos had allegedly threatened the president and questioned his presence in the United States, given his immigration status.
Mullin also praised the work of Secret Service personnel, noting that officers routinely put their lives on the line to protect the country's leadership.
According to the DHS, Chrinos entered the United States through Texas in March 2024, where he was apprehended by US Border Patrol agents.
Chrinos remains in custody as he faces the criminal charges. The allegations against him have not yet been tested in court.
