Armed Man Near the White House Told Officers Voices Sent Him to Kill Trump, DHS Says

Secret Service officers arrested a 30-year-old Venezuelan man near the White House on Thursday evening after finding an AR-15-style rifle, handguns and ammunition inside a car that had been reported stolen. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the man told officers that voices in his head had directed him to Washington to kill President Trump.

The suspect, identified as Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos, is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and faces a list of weapons and vehicle charges. DHS says he crossed the Texas border illegally in March 2024 and was released under the Biden administration. Fox, Fox5 and Townhall reported that an ICE detainer has been lodged against him.

The account of the threat comes from DHS alone. In the coverage reviewed, no statement from the suspect or a defense lawyer appears, and no charge tied directly to the alleged threat against the president has been reported.

A Car on Constitution Avenue

The encounter took place on Constitution Avenue in Washington. DHS told Fox News that officers approached because the man was "acting suspicious in his car." Fox described the vehicle as parked; FOX 5 DC said it was stopped, and reported that the car had been stolen out of South Carolina. In the coverage reviewed, that detail appears only in the FOX 5 DC report.

According to DHS, as relayed by Fox, officers learned the car had been reported stolen, and the man acknowledged there were weapons inside. The Secret Service, as quoted by Fox, said he had been "drawn to the White House complex." In the coverage reviewed, the agency does not elaborate on what that means.

Three Guns, Several Accounts

Reports agree that officers recovered three firearms, but they differ on the details. The Fox News article and FOX 5 DC describe an AR-15-style rifle and two handguns. A Fox News post on X citing DHS named the weapons as an AR-15-style rifle, a MAC-10 and a Glock 43X. Ammunition was also found in the car.

Fox listed three counts each of unlawful transport of a firearm, unregistered firearm and unregistered ammunition, along with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, carrying a pistol without a license and possession of dangerous weapons. FOX 5 DC described charges of theft, receiving stolen property and carrying a rifle, among other firearm offenses. RT reported that authorities have not announced a separate charge of attempting to assassinate the president. All of it remains an accusation until a court says otherwise.

The Border Question

DHS says the man entered the country illegally through Texas in March 2024, was picked up by Border Patrol and later released. Those are the department's claims, and they have not been independently confirmed. Townhall and FOX 5 DC presented the immigration history with differing levels of detail, and both rely on DHS for it.

According to Townhall, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin credited officers with stopping the man "before he could harm anyone." In the coverage reviewed, that statement appears only in Townhall's report, and it was not checked against a DHS release.

What Happens Next

Much remains unsettled. In the coverage reviewed, there is no public word yet on a first court appearance, a detention hearing, formal charging documents, or whether federal or D.C. prosecutors will handle the case. It is also unclear whether prosecutors will bring any charge connected to the alleged threat, whether a mental-health evaluation will be ordered, and how the ICE detainer will interact with the criminal case. A statement from the Justice Department or the U.S. Attorney's Office, and the charging document itself, should answer some of those questions.