A radical former teaching assistant from Illinois State University — who recently went viral for flipping a Turning Point USA table on campus — has now been arrested by federal agents for allegedly threatening to kill President Donald Trump.
According to a newly unsealed criminal complaint, Derek S. Lopez was taken into custody Tuesday evening in Illinois following a multi-agency investigation involving the FBI, Secret Service, and local law enforcement. Federal prosecutors say Lopez’s arrest stems from a series of social media posts in which he repeatedly threatened to assassinate the 45th President and even filmed himself pointing a gun at an image of Trump’s face.
In one of the most chilling posts cited in the complaint, Lopez allegedly declared online, “I am going to kill Donald Trump.” In another video posted to Instagram on October 26, he appeared to cock a firearm and aim it directly at an image digitally altered with a red crosshair over Trump’s forehead.
Federal agents say Lopez followed up the next day on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “I am gonna murder Donald Trump, idaf.”
The posts triggered an investigation after the FBI received a tip on September 15 warning about “concerning remarks” Lopez had made online. When questioned by authorities, Lopez reportedly admitted his comments were “a bit crazy” but insisted they were “protected under the First Amendment.”
That claim didn’t hold up.
Federal law clearly states that while political speech is protected, “true threats directed towards the President” are not. Prosecutors say Lopez’s posts weren’t vague political opinions — they were direct, credible threats backed by violent imagery and intent. The criminal complaint cites “context and specificity” as the key factors that elevated his speech into a prosecutable offense.
Agents from the Secret Service and FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force reportedly obtained digital evidence linking Lopez’s online accounts to the threats, including the gun video and several written posts calling for Trump’s death.
The incident comes just weeks after Lopez became known on social media for another outburst — this time on a college campus.
On October 17, Illinois State University Police arrested Lopez for disorderly conduct, criminal damage, and criminal mischief after video footage surfaced showing him violently flipping a Turning Point USA table at a student event.
The footage, shared widely by TPUSA’s Frontlines account, shows Lopez storming up to the conservative organization’s display and shouting, “Well you know Jesus did it so you have to do it right?” before overturning the table and tearing up flyers promoting an upcoming event with comedian and political commentator Alex Stein.
WATCH:
Watch: An Illinois State University teacher assistant flipped a @tpusastudents table and tore flyers that promoted an upcoming @alexstein99 event.
pic.twitter.com/ydhIfcEa24
— FRONTLINES TPUSA, October 17, 2025
Following that incident, Illinois State University confirmed that Lopez had been removed from his position as a teaching assistant pending investigation. School officials condemned his behavior, saying the university “does not tolerate acts of violence or intimidation on campus.”
But his actions didn’t stop there. Just days later, the same man was allegedly posting videos threatening to assassinate a former president — this time triggering a full-scale federal response.
In the Central District of Illinois, federal prosecutors have now charged Lopez with one count of making threats against the President. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, if convicted, Lopez could face up to five years in federal prison.
Court records show Lopez will appear for a detention and preliminary hearing on November 3 in Peoria, Illinois. Prosecutors have indicated they may seek to detain him before trial, citing his “access to firearms” and “the credible nature of his threats” as evidence that he poses an ongoing danger.
Legal analysts note that Lopez’s defense team is likely to argue that his remarks were “political speech” or “hyperbole,” protected by the First Amendment — but prosecutors say the case is clear-cut. The inclusion of explicit death threats, the act of brandishing a gun in a video, and the direct naming of a target (a former President) place his conduct squarely in the category of criminal threat.
The case has reignited debate about rising political extremism on college campuses — and the growing wave of leftist radicalism among young academics.
From flipping conservative tables to allegedly plotting violence against a former President, Lopez’s story has become a disturbing reflection of what many see as the dangerous state of modern academia — one where outrage replaces reason and political hatred turns into criminal action.
