Armed Venezuelan man arrested near White House, claims voices told him to kill Trump

The arrest

Secret Service officers arrested Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos on the night of Thursday, 5 November, after they noticed him acting suspiciously in a car parked near the White House, according to a statement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). When officers approached, he told them that voices in his head had ordered him to travel to Washington and kill President Donald Trump. Officers then found that the car had been reported stolen. The DHS said he has since been charged and is held in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. The White House did not comment and referred questions to DHS and the Secret Service.

Weapons and charges

Officers found three firearms and dozens of rounds of ammunition in the vehicle. An image of the arsenal included in the DHS statement shows an AR-15-type rifle, a Mac-10 and a Glock 43X. CNN reported that Chrinos faces several charges linked to the weapons, unauthorized use of a vehicle and possession of stolen property. Whether he is mentally ill has not been confirmed.

Immigration status

The DHS said Chrinos entered the United States illegally through Texas in March 2024. According to the same statement, Border Patrol detained him after that crossing and then released him. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) filed an immigration detainer against him with the U.S. Marshals Service, which now holds him in custody. The DHS described him as a migrant from Venezuela who is in the country illegally.

Earlier incidents near the White House

The Secret Service says it has recorded a sharp rise in incidents near the White House linked to mental health difficulties. Its officials said the presidential residence can become a symbolic focus for people with such difficulties. In May, officers shot dead a 21-year-old man at a security checkpoint in front of the White House, whom authorities said had opened fire on agents. CNN, citing court documents, said that man had repeated contact with the Secret Service and an involuntary psychiatric hospitalization. Trump was not hurt in that incident.

ABC also listed earlier attempts on Trump's life. In July 2024, an armed young man climbed onto a roof near an outdoor rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Months later, in September, the Secret Service found an armed man hidden in bushes on a Palm Beach golf course where the president was playing.

Official reaction

Secret Service Director Sean Curran praised his officers for calming a tense situation. He said the incident shows the heightened threat the agency works under and the continued presence of armed people near the presidential residence. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement:

“Thanks to our brave Secret Service officers, this illegal alien with three firearms in his vehicle was arrested near the White House before he could harm anyone.”

The Independent described the arrest as the latest in a series of cases in which people who threatened Trump or his family were detained since he returned to office last year. Authorities have not confirmed whether Chrinos is mentally ill, and he remains in federal custody.