A 22-year-old New Hampshire man has been arrested [1] after authorities said he plotted to assassinate Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte with homemade pipe bombs.
Tristan Anderson, described in court records as a ponytailed man from the state, was taken into custody in August and has been held without bail at Merrimack County Jail.
ARRESTED
A 22-year-old allegedly threatened to murder Republican Governor Kelly Ayotte using homemade pipe bombs.
Investigators say Tristan Anderson boasted about his plans to his roommate on Snapchat, displaying the materials he planned to use.
Anderson allegedly posted… pic.twitter.com/JqNzQ2DUVX [2]
— Breanna Morello (@BreannaMorello) September 18, 2025 [3]
He faces charges including criminal threatening and threatening a government official.
According to prosecutors, Anderson came under investigation after allegedly boasting on Snapchat about his ability to build explosives.
A roommate told authorities that Anderson displayed bomb-making materials on the platform, including fireworks, metal tubes, and bags of nuts and bolts that he claimed he would use to create pipe bombs.
Authorities said the devices met the federal definition of a “weapon of mass destruction.”
The roommate later informed police that Anderson also had firearms in his possession.
Court filings allege that Anderson repeatedly voiced extremist views and targeted Ayotte in his statements.
In an arrest warrant, prosecutors said Anderson complained about what he described as an “Israel Deep State” running state and federal governments.
He also posted anti-Jewish commentary and circulated conspiracy theories online.
Despite Ayotte being Catholic, Anderson allegedly directed his anger toward her personally, threatening to kill her and members of the New Hampshire GOP committee.
In messages reviewed by prosecutors, he accused party officials of believing “they speak for the rest of NH residents.”
Prosecutors also cited additional statements in which Anderson disparaged his generation and shared videos that promoted anti-Jewish conspiracy theories.
Gov. Ayotte did not provide comment to the Daily Mail when asked about the arrest.
Anderson’s case comes amid increased concern for public officials’ safety.
His arrest took place just weeks before a separate incident in Utah in which a suspected gunman, Tyler Anderson, opened fire during a college gathering, killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The two incidents have left lawmakers and political figures on heightened alert, with some choosing to relocate events indoors or cancel them altogether.
Kelly Ayotte was sworn in as New Hampshire’s governor in 2025.
She previously represented the state in the U.S. Senate from 2011 to 2017.
Her election in 2024 was viewed as a significant win for Republicans in a state carried by President Donald Trump’s Democratic opponent.
Ayotte defeated Democrat Joyce Craig by an eight-point margin.
Observers noted that Ayotte’s campaign strategy focused on local issues.
She did not reference the Israel-Hamas war, which was a contentious national topic throughout 2024, particularly on college campuses.
Her only prior commentary on Middle East affairs appears to be a 2014 opinion piece in which she criticized Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
In that op-ed, Ayotte wrote that Abbas “has embarked on a destructive course harmful to the prospects for rebuilding Gaza and achieving Israeli–Palestinian peace.”
State officials have emphasized that they are monitoring threats closely.
Chris Vetter, director of Safety Services at the State House, told the New Hampshire Monitor that security preparations remain ongoing.
“We’re aware of what’s going on nationally,” Vetter said. “We’re going to remain vigilant.”
Anderson is scheduled to appear in court later this year as the case proceeds.