Trigger Warning: This article mentions death threats and details of violence.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris has been missing in action for quite some time now. However, fans still remember her and the legacy she left. She served in the White House alongside former President Joe Biden. Sadly, the remembrance did not come from moments of gratitude but from online trolls and threats.
A federal grand jury has charged 37-year-old Steven Hartford of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, with allegedly threatening to “assassinate” former Vice President and 2024 presidential candidate Kamala Harris via statements on TikTok.
According to the Department of Justice, Hartford—using the handle “thealex13one13″—commented on a July 21, 2024, Daily Mail TikTok video asking, “Will Kamala Harris be the next Democratic nominee?” His reply was, “I will assassinate her if she runs for president.” Can you imagine threatening a female political figure on social media? Yeah, the audacity of men these days seems to be utterly shameful!
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As per The Atlanta Black Star, DOJ records also reveal additional threats in a follow-up Daily Mail post questioning whether Harris could succeed Joe Biden. Hartford allegedly wrote menacing messages like “22 250 coming her way,” “5.56 for her,” and “5.56 waiting for her.” Hartford has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to stand trial starting August 25, 2025. If convicted of threatening a major presidential candidate, he faces up to 10 years in prison.
In a similar incident, in August 2024, 55-year-old Frank Lucio Carrillo from Virginia was arrested after allegedly posting over 4,300 threats targeting Harris, Joe Biden, and other officials on the right-wing platform Gettr. The Winchester resident reportedly threatened to set fire to the house where the vice president lives and to “personally pluck out her eyes,” according to a charging document.
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When the FBI resident reached Carillo’s house, they found two firearms from his home: a pistol he bought in 2023 and a rifle purchased in 2024. After witnessing a series of online hate and a bizarre set of crimes against political leaders, celebrities, and so on, United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh of the Western District of Virginia spoke to the media.
“Open political discourse is a cornerstone of our American experience. We can disagree. We can argue and we can debate. However, when those disagreements cross the line to threats of violence, law enforcement must step in” (via UPI). Meanwhile, Prosecutors are seeking Hartford’s case under Operation Take Back America, a federal program aimed at cracking down on violent crime, drug trafficking, and immigration violations.
Consequently, as of March 2025, Kamala Harris has not made any formal announcements on social media about her next political move and is seen as somewhat absent as an opposition amidst the recent political developments and tensions under the Trump administration in the country. She, however, keeps posting to mark important landmark days in America. Haters have mocked Kamala Harris for “not achieving anything” and taking time off for nothing in media interviews. (Check the clip below.)
CBS News reported that Kamala Harris would allegedly run for governor of California in 2026. According to insiders, the 60-year-old self-made lady is seeking ways to remain involved in national conversations while keeping all political opportunities open. On February 22, Harris received the Chairman’s Award at the 56th NAACP Image Awards.
She was spotted in a black outfit, accepting the honor and addressing the public for the first time since she lost the elections. Without naming President Trump, she urged Americans to “organize, mobilize, educate, and advocate” and stressed staying united and fighting for justice and the people’s rights.
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It’s truly sad to witness that the dark aspect of social media has normalized threatening, bullying, and shaming people at the convenience of a button to the extent that there’s no ounce of respect left for either older women or well-known figures. While mere backlash for one’s actions as a media personality is part and parcel of being in the spotlight, death threats and violence will always be totally unacceptable.
