Armed Man Arrested Near White House for Allegedly Plotting to Assassinate Trump

Washington, D.C. (Terror Monitor) — The U.S. Secret Service has arrested an armed man near the White House who allegedly told authorities that he had traveled to Washington with the intention of assassinating President Donald Trump. Three firearms and dozens of rounds of ammunition were recovered from a vehicle he was driving, which authorities later determined had been stolen.

According to The Associated Press (AP), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Friday that the incident occurred Thursday night when Secret Service agents detained a man inside a suspicious vehicle near the White House.

Authorities identified the suspect as Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos, a Venezuelan national.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, Secret Service agents noticed the suspect sitting inside a vehicle parked along Constitution Avenue and approached him for questioning.

During the encounter, the suspect allegedly told officers that he was hearing voices in his head instructing him to travel to Washington and kill President Donald Trump.

Authorities said preliminary investigations revealed that the vehicle the suspect was using had been reported stolen. The suspect also allegedly acknowledged that firearms were inside the vehicle.

A subsequent search uncovered three firearms, including an AR-15-style rifle and two handguns, along with dozens of rounds of ammunition.

According to ABC News, court documents identified the recovered weapons as a MAC-10 machine pistol, a Glock 43X handgun and an AR-15 rifle.

The Department of Homeland Security said the suspect faces multiple charges, including unlawful transportation of firearms, possession of unregistered firearms and ammunition, carrying a pistol without a license, unauthorized use of a stolen vehicle, theft and receiving stolen property.

Authorities said the suspect appeared in court Friday and was ordered held without bond. He is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

According to DHS, the suspect entered the United States through Texas in March 2024. U.S. authorities said he had previously been apprehended by border officials but was subsequently released.

U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran praised the agents involved in the operation, saying their training and experience enabled them to handle a potentially dangerous situation that could have posed an immediate threat to the president and other members of the public.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin also commended the Secret Service personnel, saying their swift response resulted in the arrest of an armed individual carrying three firearms near the White House before anyone was harmed.

The arrest comes amid continued security concerns surrounding threats against the U.S. president.

Trump has previously survived assassination attempts. In July 2024, he was wounded during a shooting at an election campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. One person was killed and two others were injured in that incident.