A Georgia man accused of threatening to "shoot up" Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has been federally charged after authorities say he arrived at the busy travel hub with an AR-15-style rifle and dozens of rounds of ammunition in his truck.

Convicted felon Billy Joe Cagle, 49, was charged in a criminal complaint on Tuesday with attempted violence at an international airport, interstate communications containing threats to injure the person of another and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

"As alleged in this complaint, Cagle senselessly threatened to do heinous violence to innocent travelers, at the world’s busiest airport, with a high-powered weapon that he had no legal right to possess," U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said. "Thanks to the vigilance of other citizens and the quick action of law enforcement, a horrible tragedy was averted."

Hertzberg said Cagle was on a FaceTime call on Monday when he allegedly threatened to "shoot up the airport." The airport Cagle was referring to was Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

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While on the call, Hertzberg added, Cagle allegedly stated, "I’m at the airport, and I’m gonna go rat-a-tat-tat," before abruptly ending the call.

The person on the other end of the call went to the Cartersville Police Department to report Cagle’s threat, and officers with the department alerted the Atlanta Police Department. Cartersville also provided Atlanta police with photos of Cagle and a description of the Chevrolet pickup truck he was reportedly driving.

Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said at a Monday afternoon news conference that Cagle arrived at the airport’s South Terminal at 9:29 a.m. Officers do not believe he was armed, Schierbaum said, adding that video showed him walking toward a crowded TSA checkpoint.

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Officers canvassed the area and issued a "be-on-the-lookout" alert for Cagle and his Chevrolet flatbed pickup truck.

Schierbaum said officers, using a photo of Cagle, found him at 9:54 a.m. and took him into custody.

During a safety sweep of the airport’s outer perimeter, officers found Cagle’s pickup. Inside, they said they discovered an AR-15 loaded with 27 rounds in the back seat. The weapon was cleared, and the scene declared safe.

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The FBI is investigating the case with assistance from both the Cartersville and Atlanta police departments and Clayton County District Attorney's office.

"This is a perfect example of ‘See Something, Say Something’ in action," FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown said. "When Billy Joe Cagle’s family noticed something wasn’t right, they alerted authorities. Their quick thinking  —combined with the swift, heroic response of our law enforcement partners — undoubtedly saved lives."

Cagle has a criminal history, including a "pretty significant" prior drug-possession arrest in Cartersville, according to Schierbaum.

The charges against Cagle announced Tuesday are in addition to charges announced previously. Those include terroristic threats, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, criminal attempt to commit aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

President Donald Trump's privately funded $200 million White House ballroom is the latest "bold, necessary addition" to the executive residence, officials said, describing the East Wing construction as a continuation of presidential upgrades dating back more than a century.

Photos of the East Wing façade being demolished went viral Monday, prompting criticism online and a swift rebuttal from the White House, which wrote that "unhinged leftists and their Fake News allies are clutching their pearls over President Donald J. Trump’s visionary addition of a grand, privately funded ballroom … a bold, necessary addition that echoes the storied history of improvements and additions from commanders-in-chief to keep the executive residence a beacon of American excellence."

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed the president's message Tuesday on "Jesse Watters Primetime," saying, "I believe there’s a lot of fake outrage right now.

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"Nearly every single president who’s lived in this beautiful White House behind me has made modernizations and renovations of their own," Leavitt added. "In fact, presidents for decades — in modern times — have joked about how they wished they had a larger event space here at the White House, something that could hold hundreds more people than the current East Room and State Dining Room. 

"President Obama even complained that, during his tenure, he had to hold a state dinner on the South Lawn and rent a very expensive tent."

In an article shared Tuesday, the administration listed more than a dozen examples of leaders "renovating, expanding and modernizing" the property to "meet the needs of the present day," from Theodore Roosevelt’s West Wing in 1902 to Barack Obama’s Kitchen Garden in 2009.

Trump first confirmed the ballroom project Monday on Truth Social, writing, "I am pleased to announce that ground has been broken … to build the new, big, beautiful White House Ballroom. Completely separate from the White House itself, the East Wing is being fully modernized … and will be more beautiful than ever when it is complete!"

"For more than 150 years, every President has dreamt about having a Ballroom … I am honored to be the first President to finally get this much-needed project underway — with zero cost to the American Taxpayer!" he continued, crediting "many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and yours truly" for funding the build. "This Ballroom will be happily used for Generations to come!"

The White House's Rapid Response 47 account also shared a detailed thread on X Tuesday showing how past presidents "have been renovating, expanding, and modernizing the White House to meet the needs of the current day."

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Trump elaborated Tuesday, calling the federal government "this big for nothing." 

"We’re building a world-class ballroom," he said. "You probably hear the beautiful sound of construction to the back here. That’s music to my ears. People don’t like it. I love it. When I hear that sound, it reminds me of money. In this case, a lack of money, because I’m paying for it."

Trump also noted that the East Room, currently the largest indoor event space, is little more than "a cocktail area" that holds about 88 people.

During a Diwali event at the White House Tuesday night, Trump again referenced the project and his decision not to accept a salary, quipping that "they probably owe me a lot of money" for everything he’s put into the building.

"If I get money from our country, I’ll do something nice with it. Like give it to charity or give it to the White House," he said. "We restore the White House, and we’re doing a great job. The ballroom is under construction. They’ve been trying to get it for 150 years."

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The ballroom project is the latest in Trump's improvements to the property, which include an overhaul of the Rose Garden and the Palm Room.

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner contributed to this report.