WASHINGTON — A federal judge has barred a Virginia man from using Twitter after he was charged with making threats to Republican senators and other members of Congress using the social media platform.

Kyler Schmitz of Alexandria, Va., has been charged in Virginia’s Eastern District with making threats of gun violence against two senators.

Congressional committee staff members alerted Capitol Police.

Schmitz also allegedly sent a message to a Twitter account associated with the National Rifle Association asking about buying a rifle, according to the documents.

Schmitz’s fiancé told NBC Washington, which first reported on his arrest, that the tweets were not serious threats but satirical.

‘‘It wasn’t him as a real person,’’ Paul Cianciolo said in a videotaped interview with the station outside of the courthouse. ‘‘It was a creative outlet.’’

Cianciolo told the Post he stands by that assessment and that the couple will be making its case in court.

An attorney for Schmitz did not comment Wednesday.

Washington Post