Social media has become a breeding ground for unhinged leftists targeting conservatives.
The threats are getting more brazen.
And a Florida man just learned a tough lesson about posting death threats at Ron DeSantis.
Daniel Cook couldn't stop himself from threatening officials online
Daniel Cook had a problem that most criminals figure out after their first brush with the law.
Stop doing the thing that got you in trouble in the first place.
Cook, 39, from Edgewater, Florida, didn't get the memo.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement got a tip in November from New York state authorities about threats on X targeting Governor Ron DeSantis.
Cook's X account NeverDead13 posted calling DeSantis "a bozo and a Bonzo" before threatening to kill both DeSantis and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
"Don't worry, you will die, pig," Cook wrote in the November 7 post directed at DeSantis.
FDLE traced the account back to Cook through his email, phone number, and IP address.
Volusia County Sheriff's deputies interviewed Cook in December about the posts.
Cook admitted he owned the account and made the threats "as an expression of frustration."
He handed over his phone number, which matched the one linked to the threatening X account.
Most people would realize at this point that continuing to make threats on social media was a bad idea.
Not Cook.
Cook's delusions spiraled into more threats
The interview with deputies should have been Cook's wake-up call.
Instead, he kept posting threats on X.
Cook had previously posted delusional claims that DeSantis personally targeted him through legislation.
He wrote that DeSantis created a bill ordering anyone named "Daniel Joseph Cook" to be arrested or eliminated.
Cook also went after Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood.
He accused Chitwood of "fleecing the nation" and "taking away his American freedom."
"Will you not stop at my murder, by you?" Cook wrote to Chitwood.
Then on New Year's Eve, Texas authorities notified FDLE about another threat from Cook's account.
This time Cook threatened to kill Secret Service Director Sean Curran.
"I'll kill you. Mark my words," Cook wrote.
The threats kept coming even after Cook had admitted to deputies that the account belonged to him.
Deputies arrested Cook after he ignored their warning
Cook was arrested on January 12 and charged with two counts of written threats to kill or do bodily injury.
He also faces charges of threatening death or serious bodily harm to an elected official and two counts of using a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony.
Cook is being held on no bond.
The case highlights a growing problem of leftists using social media to threaten conservative leaders.
Cook's threats came during a time when DeSantis was making national headlines for his aggressive immigration enforcement.
Florida arrested more than 10,000 illegal aliens through Operation Tidal Wave in 2025.
DeSantis has been a vocal supporter of President Trump's America First agenda on immigration and border security.
That's made him a target for unhinged leftists like Cook who view strong border enforcement as somehow threatening their freedom.
Sheriff Chitwood has also been a lightning rod for criticism from the Left.
Chitwood made national headlines in 2024 for perp-walking children who made school shooting threats.
He publicly stated he would release names and photos of juveniles making felony threats against schools.
Critics called it a "publicity stunt" but Chitwood stood by his tough stance on protecting students.
Cook's threats against both DeSantis and Chitwood show how radical leftists target law enforcement officials who refuse to bow to their demands.
The fact that Cook continued making threats after his interview with deputies proves he never took the consequences seriously.
Now Cook is sitting in jail with no bond facing multiple felony charges.
Maybe he'll finally understand that threatening to kill elected officials on social media has real consequences.
Sources:
- Nathaniel Rodriguez, "Man arrested after threatening Gov. Ron DeSantis' life on X, authorities say," WFLA, January 13, 2026.
- Fox 35 Digital Staff, "Florida man accused of threatening DeSantis, other officials on social media," FOX 35 Orlando, January 14, 2026.
- News 6 Staff, "'You will die, pig:' Man accused of threatening to kill Florida Gov. DeSantis, Sheriff Chitwood," ClickOrlando, January 14, 2026.
