In Michigan, a man with a very familiar name has sent shockwaves through both political circles and social media feeds. JD Vance, no, not the current Vice President, but a Michigan resident with the same name has officially been sentenced to two years in prison after making a series of alarming online threats against President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The bizarre name coincidence alone has Michigan locals raising their eyebrows, and the details of the case are just as unsettling as they are surreal.
According to Michigan federal prosecutors, the man whose full name is James Donald Vance Jr. crossed a line that most people instinctively know never to approach. Over the course of early 2025, Vance Jr. went off the rails online, posting increasingly violent threats targeting the president, the vice president, and even Elon Musk, per The Sun.
One of the posts that first caught federal investigators’ attention was blunt enough to stop anyone in their tracks. “If tRump [sic], Vance, or Musk ever come to my city again, they will leave it in a body bag,” he wrote, making it clear he intended the message to sound deadly serious.
Michigan Man Named JD Vance Sent To Prison For Threats Against Donald Trump
He didn’t stop there. In the same message, Vance Jr. added, “I will either be shot by a secret service sniper or spend the rest of my life in prison. I’ve only got about 10 years left anyway so I don’t [expletive] care either way.” It’s no surprise that federal investigators in Michigan interpreted his words as more than just empty internet blustering.
Prosecutors revealed that Vance Jr.’s posts began appearing on Bluesky under the handle “Diaperjdv.” On March 7, he even reacted to an article about Donald Trump Jr. potentially running for president by threatening, “I will murder that stupid [expletive] before he gets secret service protection.” At that point, authorities didn’t have to read between the lines. The threat was crystal clear.
US Attorney Timothy VerHey made it clear in court that even in an age of heated discourse, Vance Jr.’s conduct was way, way over the line. “The advent of the internet gives us all an opportunity to engage in the healthy exchange of ideas that are so important to a democracy,” VerHey said. “But some would rather use this tool to threaten and intimidate, conduct that causes fear and damages our democratic ideals.” He continued, “When Vance said he planned to kill our President and Vice President simply because he disagreed with them, he crossed a line we all understand and so had to be punished.”
Netizens Weigh In
Judge Paul Maloney echoed that sentiment, calling the behavior “grievous conduct” before imposing the two-year sentence, hoping it would “deter others from making similar threats.”
“The irony is obvious,” one person commented on the story. “Our current politics are making people crazy again,” said another. “Trippy,” a third person chimed in. “Will the real JD Vance please stand up,” a fourth comment read.
Vance Jr. pleaded guilty to two felony counts of threatening to kill the president and the vice president charges that carry weight no matter what state you’re in, but Michigan residents can’t stop talking about the strange twist of fate involving his shared name with the sitting VP.
Hunter Spears 
Kenna Raye 
Emma Taylor 
