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Clockwise from top left: An X post that authorities say was allegedly made by Brian Tate. The home of Brian Tate, 49, in High Falls, N.Y., where he lived at the time of his arrest. Another threatening message that Brian Tate allegedly posted on X last month (Northern District of New York/FBI).
A New York man is accused of threatening to assassinate President Donald Trump on X — saying he’d shoot him “with a .270 from 300 yards” — along with statements about declaring “war” on Trump ally Elon Musk, according to court documents.
Brian Tate, 50, of High Falls, allegedly posted his violent and aggressive social media messages under the handle @JamesTate121, including one that referenced a GIF of Trump’s head exploding, according to his FBI affidavit.
“I can do that with a .270 from 300 yards,” Tate allegedly said, sharing a photo of a bolt-action rifle and referencing the caliber.
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In a December 2024 post, Tate, who has over 95,000 followers on X, allegedly shared a news article that said Elon Musk had “declared war on Social Security.”
“Millions of us declare war back,” Tate allegedly said.
Responding to a reply from another user that said “f—er has no idea what will hit him,” Tate allegedly wrote, “270 in the back of ear from 300 yards.”
The affidavit outlines how Tate, who has a prior conviction for criminal sale of a controlled substance — marijuana — told investigators that he did, in fact, post the things he’s accused of saying, but he does not possess a firearm and didn’t plan on harming anyone.
“Tate further told us that he sometimes vents on social media due to the stress from his children, particularly when he is drinking alcohol, and claimed he didn’t mean anything from his posts,” the affidavit says.
Tate’s alleged X page, which was still up as of 4 p.m. Monday, describes him as a “father of 3 wonderful kids … trying to save America from The Trump Cult.” He lives in the Hudson Valley region of New York state and authorities have obtained warrants to search his home, citing probable cause to believe that he’s committed interstate threats crimes and unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, according to court documents.
