A Maryland man is charged with attempted murder after he was alleged to have shown up at the home of Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, in northern Virginia.
Colin Demarco, 26, whom Arlington County police arrested Jan. 22, is charged with attempted murder and carrying a firearm without a permit, along with the unlawful wearing of a mask.
Demarco is accused of plotting to murder Vought, a source told NBC News. He claimed to be writing a manifesto and had notes that talked about weapons and a “body disposal guide,” deputies with the U.S. Marshals Service found. According to the complaint, Demarco told agents that the November 2024 election was the lowest point of his life.
Asked for comment or confirmation that Vought was the alleged target, a spokesperson for OMB said in an email, “We are grateful for the work of law enforcement in keeping Director Vought and his family safe.”
Vought is one of the principal authors of Project 2025; he wrote a chapter outlining plans to overhaul the executive branch and refocus federal agencies to serve the president’s agenda.
In his chapter, Vought referred to OMB as “the president’s air-traffic control system,” with its director tasked with serving as “the keeper of ‘commander’s intent.’”
A source confirmed to NBC News that Demarco was captured on a Ring doorbell camera at the front door of Vought’s Arlington home on Aug. 10, leading to his identification.
Arlington County police were sent to Vought’s home at about 3:15 p.m. for the report of a suspicious person, police said.
A witness told police that they saw a male standing on Vought’s porch wearing a surgical mask and rubber gloves, carrying a backpack and appearing to conceal a firearm under his shirt.
The witness alleged the person approached them and asked about Vought before he left, leading the witness to contact police.
Arlington County police accessed digital evidence that Demarco had obtained directions to Vought’s residence, that he had information detailing locations of firearms possessed by a relative and that he had a guide detailing tips to prevent criminal detection.
Police also found that Demarco had posted online about Vought and engaged in online discussions appearing to solicit others to murder him. Demarco appeared at Vought’s home within days of the online conversations, police said.
Demarco’s preliminary court hearing is scheduled for Feb. 23. He is being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.
Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., said in a statement that he is “deeply alarmed by the news that a man allegedly planned to murder OMB Director Vought,” adding that he is “relieved the suspect was caught before any violence occurred.”
“Political violence is unacceptable and represents an attack not only on an individual, but on our democracy itself. There is no place for political violence in the United States of America,” Boyle added.
The alleged plot against Vought comes as there are growing concerns on escalating political violence in the United States.
In September, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was killed during one of his Turning Point USA events on a college campus in Utah. In June, a gunman killed Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, and wounded Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife separately.
The number of threats related to Congress rose for a third consecutive year in 2025 and spiked to its highest level in years, a U.S. Capitol Police report released last month showed.
