U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro walks outside the White House, Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Prosecutors drop federal case against woman accused of threatening to kill Trump
WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 Justice Department prosecutors are dropping their federal case against a woman who was charged with threatening to kill President Donald Trump 鈥 the latest in a string of self-inflicted setbacks for prosecutors during President Donald Trump’s law-enforcement surge in the nation’s capital.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro walks outside the White House, Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 Justice Department prosecutors are dropping their federal case against a woman who was charged with threatening to kill President Donald Trump 鈥 the latest in a string of self-inflicted setbacks for prosecutors during President Donald Trump’s law-enforcement surge in the nation’s capital.
A grand jury refused to indict Nathalie Rose Jones before U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro鈥檚 office asked a judge on Friday to dismiss her case in district court. A by Pirro鈥檚 office says dismissing the case against Jones 鈥渋s in the interests of justice,鈥 but it doesn’t elaborate.
Jones was due back in court Monday for a preliminary hearing. Her attorney, Mary Petras, asked the court to dismiss the case 鈥渨ith prejudice,鈥 which would prevent prosecutors from reviving the case.
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鈥淕iven the grand jury鈥檚 decision, Ms. Jones should not be forced to live under the threat of later charges and rearrest,鈥 .
Petras said a prosecutor notified her Friday that 鈥渘o additional presentations were made to the grand jury.鈥
鈥淭he charges against Ms. Jones were based on interpretations of statements the government presented to the grand jury,” she wrote. “The grand jury rejected that interpretation of the statements and apparently agreed that Ms. Jones鈥檚 statements were consistent with her First Amendment rights.鈥
It is extraordinarily rare for a grand jury to balk at returning an indictment, but it has happened at least seven times in five cases since Trump’s surge started nearly a month ago.
One of the instances involved the case against a man charged with hurling a sandwich at a federal agent, a confrontation captured on a viral video. A grand jury also declined to indict , who was charged with making a death threat against Trump while in police custody on Aug. 17.
Prosecutors on Thursday asked a magistrate judge to dismiss the federal case against Dana, but they charged him with misdemeanors in D.C. Superior Court.
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A spokesperson for Pirro’s office didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment on Jones’ case.
Jones, 50, of Lafayette, Indiana, was arrested Aug. 16 in Washington on charges that she made death threats against Trump on social media and during an interview with Secret Service agents.
Prosecutors said Jones posted an Aug. 6 message on Facebook that she was 鈥渨illing to sacrificially kill this POTUS by disemboweling him and cutting out his trachea.鈥 When Secret Service agents questioned her on Aug. 15, Jones said she hoped to peacefully remove Trump from office but 鈥渨ill kill him out at the compound if I have to,鈥 . Jones was arrested a day later in Washington, where she joined a protest near the White House.
Jones repeatedly told Secret Service agents that she had no intent to harm anyone, didn鈥檛 own any weapons and went to Washington to peacefully protest, according to her attorney.
