---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 1751"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "1751"
heading: "Presidential and Presidential staff assassination, kidnapping, and assault; penalties"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/1751"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 84 — Presidential and Presidential Staff Assassination, Kidnapping, and Assault"
---

# §1751. Presidential and Presidential staff assassination, kidnapping, and assault; penalties

- (a) [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1) kills (1) any individual who is the President of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9), the President-elect, the Vice President, or, if there is no Vice President, the [officer](/usc/18/202.md?p=c) next in the order of succession to the Office of the President of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9), the Vice President-elect, or any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) who is acting as President under the Constitution and laws of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9), or (2) any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) appointed under [section 105(a)(2)(A) of title 3](/usc/3/105.md?p=a-2-A) employed in the Executive Office of the President or appointed under [section 106(a)(1)(A) of title 3](/usc/3/106.md?p=a-1-A) employed in the Office of the Vice President, shall be punished as provided by sections [1111](/usc/18/1111.md) and [1112](/usc/18/1112.md) of this title.
- (b) [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1) kidnaps any individual designated in [subsection (a)](#a) of this section shall be punished (1) by imprisonment for any term of years or for life, or (2) by death or imprisonment for any term of years or for life, if death results to such individual.
- (c) [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1) attempts to kill or kidnap any individual designated in [subsection (a)](#a) of this section shall be punished by imprisonment for any term of years or for life.
- (d) If two or more [persons](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) conspire to kill or kidnap any individual designated in [subsection (a)](#a) of this section and one or more of such [persons](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) do any act to effect the object of the conspiracy, each shall be punished (1) by imprisonment for any term of years or for life, or (2) by death or imprisonment for any term of years or for life, if death results to such individual.
- (e) [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1) assaults any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) designated in subsection (a)(1) shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both. [Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1) assaults any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) designated in subsection (a)(2) shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if the assault involved the use of a dangerous weapon, or personal injury results, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.
- (f) The terms “President-elect” and “Vice-President-elect” as used in this section shall mean such [persons](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) as are the apparent successful candidates for the offices of President and Vice President, respectively, as ascertained from the results of the general elections held to determine the electors of President and Vice President in accordance with [title 3](/usc/3.md), United States Code, sections [1](/usc/18/1.md) and 2.
- (g) The [Attorney General](/usc/18/841.md?p=k) of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9), in his discretion is authorized to pay an amount not to exceed $100,000 for information and services concerning a violation of subsection (a)(1). Any [officer or employee](/usc/18/202.md?p=a) of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) or of any [State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9) or local government who furnishes information or renders service in the performance of his official duties shall not be eligible for payment under this subsection.
- (h) If Federal investigative or prosecutive jurisdiction is asserted for a violation of this section, such assertion shall suspend the exercise of jurisdiction by a [State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9) or local authority, under any applicable [State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9) or local law, until Federal action is terminated.
- (i) Violations of this section shall be investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistance may be requested from any Federal, [State](/usc/18/31.md?p=a-9), or local agency, including the Army, Navy, and Air Force, any statute, rule, or regulation to the contrary notwithstanding.
- (j) In a prosecution for an offense under this section the Government need not prove that the defendant knew that the victim of the offense was an official protected by this section.
- (k) There is extraterritorial jurisdiction over the conduct prohibited by this section.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 89–141, § 1, Aug. 28, 1965, 79 Stat. 580; amended Pub. L. 97–285, §§ 3, 4(a), Oct. 6, 1982, 96 Stat. 1220; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXII, § 320101(e), title XXXIII, §§ 330016(1)(K), (L), 330021(1), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2108, 2147, 2150; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 604(b)(12)(D), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3507.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1996—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 104–294, § 604(b)(12)(D), repealed Pub. L. 103–322, § 320101(e)(1), (2). See 1994 Amendment notes below.

1994—Pub. L. 103–322, § 330021(1), substituted “kidnapping” for “kidnaping” in section catchline.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(1)(K), substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000” after “subsection (a)(2) shall be”.

Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(1)(L), substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $10,000” after “subsection (a)(1) shall be” and after “results, shall be”.

Pub. L. 103–322, § 320101(e)(3), inserted “the assault involved the use of a dangerous weapon, or” before “personal injury results”.

Pub. L. 103–322, § 320101(e)(2), which provided for amendment identical to Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(1)(K), above, was repealed by Pub. L. 104–294, § 604(b)(12)(D).

Pub. L. 103–322, § 320101(e)(1), which provided for amendment identical to Pub. L. 103–322, § 330016(1)(L), above, was repealed by Pub. L. 104–294, § 604(b)(12)(D).

1982—Pub. L. 97–285, § 4(a), inserted “and Presidential staff” after “Presidential” in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97–285, § 3(a), inserted “(1)” after “Whoever kills” and “or (2) any person appointed under section 105(a)(2)(A) of title 3 employed in the Executive Office of the President or appointed under section 106(a)(1)(A) of title 3 employed in the Office of the Vice President,” after “laws of the United States”.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 97–285, § 3(b), substituted “(a)(1)” for “(a)” and inserted provision that whoever assaults any person designated in subsec. (a)(2) of this section shall be fined not more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if personal injury results, shall be fined not more than $10,000, or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 97–285, § 3(c), substituted “subsection (a)(1)” for “this section” after “a violation of”.

Subsecs. (j), (k). Pub. L. 97–285, § 3(d), added subsecs. (j) and (k).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 104–294 effective Sept. 13, 1994, see section 604(d) of Pub. L. 104–294, set out as a note under section 13 of this title.