A man from Venezuela was arrested near the White House, claiming he intended to assassinate Trump

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela was arrested by Secret Service personnel near the White House on Thursday evening. The Secret Service approached the individual after noticing suspicious behavior in a vehicle on Constitution Avenue in Washington, and the suspect claimed that voices in his head instructed him to go to Washington to assassinate President Trump, admitting that he had weapons in the car.

The Department of Homeland Security stated that the vehicle had previously been reported stolen. After a search, three firearms and dozens of rounds of ammunition were found, including an AR-15 style rifle and two handguns. The suspect, named Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos, entered the U.S. through Texas in March 2024 and had previously been arrested by U.S. Border Patrol but was released into the country during the Biden administration.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has submitted a detention request to the Federal Bureau of Prisons for the suspect currently in custody. Charges include carrying a rifle outside of a residence or business, illegal transportation of firearms, possession of unregistered firearms and ammunition, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, theft, and possession of stolen property. Secret Service Director Sean Curran stated that the personnel relied on their training to defuse a situation that posed an imminent threat to their protectee and other citizens.