Would-be assassin, 22, ‘caught threatening to kill JD Vance’ when he visited Disneyland with his family as his chilling comments are revealed
A 22-year-old California man allegedly sent chilling threats of mass violence to JD Vance when the vice president visited Disneyland with his family last summer.
The suspect, Marco Antonio Aguayo, allegedly posted messages claiming pipe bombs had been placed at the theme park in Anaheim, California, and promised to “shed blood” as law enforcement tried to find him.
Aguayo is currently accused of making threats against the president and his successors to the presidency; this is a federal crime that can carry a prison sentence of up to five years.
Prosecutors say the threats were publicly posted on social media the same day Vance and his family entered the Disneyland Resort, turning a heavily guarded family trip into a Secret Service emergency.
According to a federal affidavit, Aguayo posted a series of comments on the Walt Disney Company’s Instagram page on July 12, 2025, after word spread that the vice president had arrived in Anaheim.
Using the account handle @jesses_andamy, Aguayo allegedly wrote: ‘Pipe bombs have been placed in preparation for the arrival of JD Vance.’
Minutes later, he allegedly made a follow-up post: ‘It’s time for us to stand up and you will witness it.’
The thread ended with a message that prosecutors described as clearly violent and threatening.
A 22-year-old Anaheim man has been accused of making threats against Vice President J.D. Vance during a visit to Disneyland with his family last summer
Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife, Usha, smile as they enjoy the sights and sounds of Disneyland with their family in Anaheim last July. Federal prosecutors allege threats against Vance were posted on Disney’s Instagram page
Aguayo allegedly posted: “Good luck finding them all in time, there will be bloodshed tonight and we will bathe in the blood of corrupt politicians.”
The posts appeared around 6:14 p.m., shortly after Air Force Two touched down at John Wayne Airport and amid growing protests in Anaheim in connection with immigration enforcement actions in California.
Federal court records show that agents with the U.S. Secret Service, along with Anaheim police, located Aguayo later that day and went to his apartment to question him.
Aguayo at first denied posting the threats and suggested her account might have been hacked, but investigators said she later reversed that stance by admitting she had written the messages.
According to the affidavit, Aguayo told agents that he ‘only intended this as a joke to generate attention and laughter’ and claimed that he wanted to delete the posts but forgot.
After obtaining a search warrant, agents seized and examined his phone and shared laptop and identified four Instagram accounts associated with him.
The threatening posts were later removed and the account appeared to have been removed.
J.D. Vance was spotted carrying his kids and about 50 Secret Service agents during a fun day at Disneyland. JD was seen as a passionate father, constantly surrounded by security, carrying both of his children as he walked from one vehicle to another
Officials said the threat did not disrupt Disneyland operations and no explosives were found.
Still, federal prosecutors stressed that the seriousness of the language used left no room for leniency, especially during a visit attended by the vice president and his family.
“We will not tolerate criminal threats against public officials,” said Bill Essayli, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California.
‘We are grateful that the Vice President and his family remained safe during their visit. Let this case be a warning to anyone who thinks they can make anonymous online threats. ‘We will find you and bring you to justice.’
Aguayo was charged, at the discretion of federal authorities, with a single count of threatening the president and his successors to the presidency.
Vance’s trip to Disneyland was not on his public schedule and only became widely known after his plane landed and reports spread on social media.
The posts claimed that the pipe bombs were placed before the vice president’s arrival. The messages also warned of “bloodshed” and referenced violence against politicians
The visit sparked demonstrations outside the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, where the vice president and his family were said to be staying.
In August, Vance publicly acknowledged the disruption caused by the visit, but only to fellow parkgoers.
‘We had the island to ourselves, which was very nice. I’ve never been to Disneyland. I thought it was great,” Vance said during an appearance on the Katie Miller Podcast.
‘I apologize to everyone who was at Disneyland for the long queues, but we had a great time.’
Prosecutors say that behind the scenes, the Secret Service was facing a much more serious situation.
