The co-founder and chairman of the “Students For Trump” group, Ryan Fournier, was arrested early Tuesday morning (May 26) and now faces criminal charges of committing domestic assault. It marks the second such alleged incident for Fournier in less than two years.
According to reports, the incident between Fournier and a young woman took place at The Apartments at CityCenter, a luxury complex in downtown Washington D.C. The arrest report shows that Fournier was detained for simple assault and attempted threats to do bodily harm.
The report from the Metropolitan Police Department contained a statement from the unnamed woman, who said that she and Fournier were dating for a couple of months and that she was visiting him from out of town. She said Fournier had been drinking, and that she was trying to get him off of the floor.
At that point, she claimed Fournier “started swinging his fists at her and struck her in the face with a closed fist two or three times.” The victim also stated that Fournier had a knife but didn’t use it. A witness on the scene, who said he was Fournier’s roommate, told police that Fournier yelled violent threats at the victim such as “Do you want to die today?”
The victim and the first witness fled to the bathroom as Fournier raged, according to another roommate who left before police had arrived. In records from the D.C. Supreme Court, Fournier pleaded not guilty at an arraignment hearing. The presiding judge issued a stay-away order for Fournier and a preliminary hearing on July 7.
Fournier founded “Students For Trump” in 2015 along with John Lambert. The group would be responsible for the
rise in support for President Donald Trump during his first presidential campaign, and work with the late Charlie Kirk’s
Turning Point USA in boosting the ranks of young conservatives nationwide.
The self-described podcast host and commentator has had multiple run-ins with the law. In 2023, he was arrested in North Carolina after allegedly striking his then-girlfriend with a pistol. Those charges would be dropped that December. Fournier was also arrested for driving under the influence in 2021 in North Carolina. Those charges would get dismissed, but he also incurred another DWI charge in 2024 which got him 12 months of probation.
