Ryan Fournier, the co-founder and chairman of Students for Trump, was arrested early Tuesday in Washington, D.C., on domestic violence charges — the second time in less than two years he has faced accusations of assaulting a woman.
The Metropolitan Police Department charged Fournier with simple assault and attempted threats to do bodily harm after an incident late Monday night at the Apartments at CityCenter.
According to an affidavit obtained by Defector, the victim — a woman who told police she had been dating Fournier for about two months and was in town to visit him — tried to wake him after finding him passed out, apparently intoxicated, on the floor. Fournier responded by swinging his fists and striking her in the face with a closed fist two or three times, she told police.
He also got on top of her as he hit her, and she said she had no choice but to defend herself. Officers noted he had a switchblade knife at his side.
A witness who identified himself as Fournier's roommate told police the situation escalated quickly. He heard Fournier scream, "Don't touch me, woman!" and "Do you want me to crush your head in with this lamp?"
When the witness stepped away, he heard Fournier yell, "Do you want to die today?" The victim ran into the bathroom, the witness said, and "looked like she had been punched in the face." As the witness called 911, the victim pleaded, "Don't let him stab me."
Based on independent statements from the victim and two witnesses, police determined Fournier was the primary aggressor. He pleaded not guilty at an arraignment Tuesday, and a pretrial stay-away order was imposed. A hearing is scheduled for July 7.
It was not Fournier's first arrest. In November 2023, he was arrested in North Carolina and charged with assault on a female and assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly striking his then-girlfriend with a pistol. Those charges were dropped.
Fournier also announced on LinkedIn that he had taken a role as Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of Justice under President Trump. The day after his latest arrest, he was back on X pushing immigration enforcement. "ICE should never pull back," he posted at 12:59 a.m. "Arrest, and deport."
