Ryan Fournier, the co-founder of Students for Trump, faces a seven-count felony indictment in Washington D.C. on charges including assault and obstruction of justice. Fournier, who built the organization into a 350-chapter network and boasts a significant following on X, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He is scheduled to go to trial on October 8 before DC Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean.
Prosecutors allege that on May 25, Fournier assaulted his girlfriend of two months, punching her, grabbing her hair, and knocking her to the ground. At one point, he allegedly brandished a switchblade knife and threatened her, stating, "You're going to die tonight." An arrest affidavit from that night also states Fournier shouted, "I'll kill everyone here" and "Do you want me to crush your head with this lamp?" during the incident, which a witness observed.
Fournier was initially arrested on misdemeanor charges of simple assault and attempted threats to do bodily harm. He was released the same day on his own recognizance with a court order to stay away from the woman. However, prosecutors claim he violated this order by texting her from his phone the same day, accusing her of being the aggressor.
Allegations of Coercion and Threats
According to a court filing from September 1, Fournier allegedly attempted to enlist others to lie to police on his behalf and to spread false information about his accuser on social media. He is accused of asking an associate to report that his girlfriend had attacked him and to post negative comments about her online. When this associate refused, Fournier allegedly threatened another man in the apartment, warning he would have him deported or ruin his career if he did not corroborate Fournier's self-defense story, even though the man had not been present during the alleged assault.
Prosecutors also allege Fournier threatened to use his political connections to have the woman deported or have her killed if she spoke negatively about him. He also allegedly approached her with what she believed was an M-16 rifle, later determined to be a replica, and asked her to pose for a picture holding it.
Previous Allegations and Arrests
The indictment also includes allegations from a former girlfriend who claims Fournier repeatedly abused her. This ex-girlfriend provided prosecutors with a photograph that she states shows Fournier pointing a firearm at her in 2020. She also claims he struck her in the face with a glass object in 2021, leaving a scar, and hit her in the head with a drinking glass the following year. Police were also called to a disturbance at a Florida hotel where she alleged he struck her with an object, causing a large bruise.
Fournier was arrested in November 2023 in North Carolina on charges of assault on a female and assault with a deadly weapon, accused of hitting her with a 9mm pistol. He admitted to police during that investigation that he hit her with the gun but claimed it was in self-defense. Those charges were dropped the following month without public explanation.
Legal Proceedings
On July 1, Fournier was indicted on two felony counts of threatening to kidnap or injure a person, two felony counts of obstruction of justice, one felony count of contempt for allegedly violating the stay-away order, and two misdemeanor counts of simple assault. He was ordered held without bond on July 2 and has remained in custody at the D.C. jail awaiting trial.
His attorney did not respond to a request for comment. The DC attorney's office has given Fournier until September 11 to accept a plea deal offered last month.
Fournier co-founded Students for Trump in 2015 and previously worked closely with Charlie Kirk's Turning Point USA. His personal X account, which has approximately one million followers, has continued to post updates.
