The Trump administration is moving to charge Elias Rodriguez, a 30-year-old US citizen, with federal hate crimes in a case that could lead to his execution, reported CNN. Rodriguez is accused of killing two Israeli Embassy staff members in Washington, D.C., one of whom was an Israeli soldier.
According to CNN, the Justice Department plans to add special findings to the indictment. These findings would allow prosecutors to seek the death penalty. The charges are expected to be filed this week.
Sources say the indictment will label the incident a hate crime. Prosecutors claim Rodriguez fired dozens of bullets at the Israelis. The Israelis, who died in the incident, were Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, both affiliated with the Israeli Embassy.
Rodriguez, who did not flee the scene, walked to security and asked them to call the police. During his arrest, he shouted “Free Palestine.” He later told investigators, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.”
A letter allegedly signed by Rodriguez appeared online after the attack. It condemned Israeli massacres in Gaza and described armed resistance as the only sane thing to do. Prosecutors have used this to frame the case as “antisemitic.”
US President Donald Trump quickly condemned the act as antisemitism. Critics, however, point to rising global anger over Israeli war crimes in Gaza as the context behind Rodriguez’s actions.
Since October 2023, Israel’s genocide in Gaza, backed by the US, has killed over 61,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 150,000. Nearly all Gaza residents are now displaced. The destruction has drawn comparisons to World War II, according to multiple international reports.
Charging Rodriguez with a hate crime may not be easy. US law requires proof beyond reasonable doubt that the motive was bias based on religion, race, or identity, not political ideology.
Rodriguez’s support for Palestine may complicate the prosecution’s strategy. Experts say opposing a state’s policies, even with violence, does not automatically equate to racial or religious hatred under US law.
Still, Trump’s DOJ is determined. The case is being shaped as a national example of how the administration deals with violence involving Jewish individuals or institutions.
Rodriguez is a human rights activist known for his work in civil rights and anti-war movements. He now faces charges of murder, murder of foreign officials, and use of a firearm during a violent crime. He has not yet entered a plea.
CNN reports that grand jury proceedings have already included testimonies from friends and family, indicating the DOJ is building a capital case.
The acting US Attorney in D.C., Jeanine Pirro, has overseen the case since her appointment in May. She called the initial charges “just the beginning.”
Legal experts say this case could set a precedent. If the DOJ succeeds in labeling anti-Israel forms of protest as antisemitic hate crimes, it may redefine how US law distinguishes between political dissent and racial hate.
Activists warn this could criminalize Palestinian solidarity and further muzzle criticism of Israel.
The case is expected to draw global attention, especially as Israel faces international investigations over war crimes and genocide in Gaza.
As the Trump administration pushes for the harshest penalty, the trial of Elias Rodriguez may become more than a legal battle; it could be a political message to all who challenge US unlimited support for Israel.
