DOJ Charges Ex-Christian Reality Show Host Turned Gay Podcaster With Threats To Kill Trump And Cyberstalking

Via press release from the Justice Department:

A resident of the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles and one-time podcaster was arrested today on a three-count federal grand jury indictment charging him with threatening to kill President Donald Trump and cyberstalking and harassing President Trump’s personal lawyer and that lawyer’s family.

Benjamin Azariah Southworth, 40, was arrested this morning and is expected to make his initial appearance and be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

Southworth is charged with one count of threats against the President, one count of cyberstalking, and one count of harassing telephone calls in interstate communications.

“As threats against President Trump’s life escalate, the Department of Justice will respond with the full force of the law,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “We will hold perpetrators of violent threats accountable, and anyone who makes these threats online will not be allowed to hide behind their screens.”

According to the indictment that a federal grand jury returned on Wednesday, from January 2026 to May 2026, Southworth used social media accounts on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok as well as a website to publicly express his hatred toward President Trump and the President’s supporters. Southworth used these online platforms to publicly engage in and encourage the abuse and harassment of the President and to threaten violence against the President.

On April 7, 2026, Southworth posted a video on his Instagram account that contained a series of threats against President Trump, including, “I have been vocal in calling for the execution of Donald Trump” and “This government is illegitimate and out of control. It’s time for course correction. Kill Donald Trump.”

Three months earlier, Southworth published a post on his TikTok account listing the home address of a Victim 1 – an attorney who had been President Trump’s personal lawyer – along with a photograph of Victim 1 and another photograph of Victim 1’s residence. In the same posted, Southworth stated, “No peace for traitors.”

From January 2026 to May 2026, Southworth left a series of abusive messages online and over voicemail to Victim 2, who is Victim 1’s son, and made harassing telephone calls to Victim 3, who is Victim 1’s wife.

Fox News reports:

On Southworth’s website “Holy Menace,” which is still live at time of publication, the podcaster sells $5 stickers that say “Kill Trump.” While being taken into custody by agents, Southworth yelled, “Donald Trump is a pedophile. The country has fallen!” according to the New York Post, which had a photographer present at the time of his arrest.

In the late 2000s, Southworth hosted the Christian reality TV show “The Remix,” which aired on some of the largest Christian networks in the country, including National Religious Broadcasters TV. The show featured Christian musicians and bands.

In 2008, Southworth came out as gay. He was subsequently the opening act for gay Christian singer Ray Boltz on the singer’s nationwide tour in 2010. In 2020, he started a podcast called “Yass, Jesus!'” which is described as “an interfaith and sexuality affirming comedy podcast that believes you don’t have to pick between gay and God.” He cohosts the show with “Mean Girls” actor Daniel Franzese, who is also gay.

Longtime JMG readers will recall Southworth’s many appearances here going back to his 2008 coming out to 2012, when he outed anti-gay Christian author Jonathan Merritt, who later copped to having hooked up with Southworth, which he attributed to “sexual brokenness.”

Los Angeles podcaster Azariah Southworth faces up to 12 years in federal prison after being indicted for allegedly threatening President Donald Trump and cyberstalking his lawyer’s family.

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— FOX 11 Los Angeles (@foxla.bsky.social) September 3, 2026 at 12:40 PM

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