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    DeSantis Gives Trump Gold Coin With Defiant Message After Assassination Attempts

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    Ron DeSantis via Gage Skidmore Flickr

    Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis welcomed President Donald Trump to Florida on Friday with an unusual gift: a gold coin depicting the president raising his middle finger beneath a profane message.

    The inscription reads, “YOU MISSED BITCHES.”

    DeSantis presented the coin as Trump arrived for a campaign appearance in Fort Myers on October 23. Trump subsequently displayed the gift to reporters, according to The Hill’s reporting, republished by AOL.

    The governor said he obtained the coin from a friend. Explaining how he requested one, DeSantis recalled saying, “I need to get this to the president. Can I please have one to give to him?” the Washington Examiner reported.

    A Message Against The Backdrop Of Political Violence

    The New York Post interpreted the inscription as a message to Trump’s would-be assassins. The Hill, however, noted that its precise meaning was unclear. Neither interpretation establishes an explanation from Trump or DeSantis.

    Trump survived two assassination attempts during his 2024 presidential campaign.

    On July 13, a gunman opened fire during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump was struck by a bullet, the FBI confirmed in congressional testimony later that month. The shooting killed attendee Corey Comperatore and wounded David Dutch and James Copenhaver.

    A second attempt unfolded September 15 at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. According to the Justice Department, a Secret Service agent patrolling ahead of Trump spotted Ryan Wesley Routh aiming a rifle from a concealed position along the course’s fence line. The agent fired, and Routh fled before being apprehended.

    Routh was convicted in September 2025 and sentenced February 4, 2026, to life in prison plus seven years, the department said.

    Former Rivals Meet Before Florida Rally

    Friday’s exchange also brought together two Republicans whose relationship has weathered a bitter presidential primary.

    Trump backed DeSantis for governor in 2018. DeSantis later challenged him for the 2024 Republican nomination before withdrawing and endorsing Trump, The Hill reported.

    Trump’s latest Florida visit included campaigning for Rep. Byron Donalds, the Republican seeking to succeed the term-limited governor, according to the Washington Examiner.

    War Secretary Faces Fresh Impeachment Call

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    Secretary of War Pete Hegseth visits U.S. Navy Sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) near San Diego, Calif., Oct. 7, 2026. (DoW photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Madelyn Keech)

    Rep. Thomas Massie has a message for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth: If you’re still running the Pentagon after the midterms, the impeachment fight is coming back.

    The Kentucky Republican indicated Monday that he plans to reintroduce articles of impeachment when Congress returns to Washington following the November elections — adding pressure as new reporting raises questions about whether Hegseth could seek a move to the Senate.

    According to The Hill, Massie posted an exchange with an unnamed reporter who asked whether he would revive the effort.

    “Will you reintroduce articles of impeachment against SecDef Hegseth when Congress returns to DC?” Massie recounted on X.

    His answer was brief: “If he’s still SecDef.”

    A Republican Keeps the Pressure On

    Massie first introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth in September, accusing the defense secretary of violating constitutional limits and federal law in his handling of military operations.

    The Iran war was central to the resolution. Massie alleged that Hegseth continued the conflict without congressional authorization, disregarded Congress’s direction to withdraw and failed to prevent unnecessary civilian casualties. Those are allegations underlying the impeachment effort, rather than findings established by a congressional trial.

    The Pentagon defended Hegseth when Massie launched the effort.

    “Secretary Hegseth has been a transformative leader for the Department of War,” Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson told ABC News in September. Wilson also said the department stood behind his leadership.

    Massie’s latest warning comes as Democrats sharpen their own threats against the Pentagon chief.

    The Hill reported Monday that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats would run Hegseth “out of town” if they capture the House. The outlet has also reported that Senate Democrats are discussing his departure as a condition for cooperation on defense issues during the lame-duck session.

    The timing matters: Lawmakers returning immediately after the election will still belong to the current Congress. Any newly elected Democratic majority would take power in January.

    A Possible Opening in Tennessee

    Meanwhile, speculation about Hegseth’s next move has shifted toward Tennessee.

    As previously covered by GAND, Puck’s Leigh Ann Caldwell reported that Hegseth has been seeking an appointment to Sen. Marsha Blackburn’s seat should the Tennessee Republican win the governor’s race and leave the Senate. Mediaite’s account of Caldwell’s reporting also identified Rep. Tim Burchett as another interested contender.

    That scenario remains speculative. Blackburn would first have to win the governorship, and no appointment of Hegseth has been announced.

    Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell previously rejected the speculation, telling Axios that Hegseth remained focused on leading the department.

    An Impeachment Vote Would Be the First Hurdle

    Massie’s pledge does not guarantee Hegseth’s removal. The House can impeach an official by a simple majority, but conviction and removal require a two-thirds vote of senators present.

    Massie is also approaching the end of his own congressional tenure after losing his Republican primary to a Trump-backed challenger. He nevertheless retains his seat through the remainder of the current term.

    His Monday statement makes clear that he intends to use that remaining time to renew the fight — provided Hegseth is still at the Pentagon when lawmakers return.

    Judge Rules DOJ Illegally Fired James Comey’s Daughter

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    3
    Image via Wikimedia Commons

    A federal judge ruled Monday that the Justice Department unlawfully fired Maurene Comey, the former Manhattan prosecutor and daughter of former FBI Director James Comey, rejecting the Trump administration’s defense of her dismissal.

    U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman granted Comey retroactive reinstatement and back pay covering the period from her termination through December 20, 2025, according to Mediaite. The relief covers that past period of employment; it does not establish that she is returning to work as a federal prosecutor today.

    ABC News reported that Furman found her termination violated civil service rules. The decision delivers a setback to the administration in a dispute over its authority to dismiss career federal prosecutors.

    Judge Rejects Administration’s Defense

    The Justice Department defended Comey’s removal under Article II of the Constitution, which establishes the president’s executive authority.

    Furman rejected that argument. As quoted by Mediaite, he warned that accepting the government’s position would “unsettle the very equilibrium established by this Nation’s constitutional system.”

    The dispute centers on the legal protections afforded career government employees and whether the administration could rely on presidential authority to bypass those protections when removing Comey.

    Furman had already allowed her lawsuit to proceed in an April ruling, rejecting the government’s argument that she had to pursue her challenge through the federal Merit Systems Protection Board. He concluded that the administration’s reliance on Article II placed her challenge outside the administrative review process the government said should apply.

    Nearly a Decade in the Manhattan Prosecutor’s Office

    Comey served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York for nearly ten years. Her work included the prosecutions of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, according to Mediaite.

    She was fired on July 16, 2025, according to Furman’s earlier opinion. That court record establishes a July dismissal date, rather than the August date cited in Mediaite’s account.

    The April opinion described Comey as a highly regarded prosecutor who had received strong evaluations. It also noted that she was assigned another prominent case just one day before officials in Washington notified her by email that her employment was ending immediately. The stated basis was Article II.

    In her lawsuit, Comey alleged that she was dismissed because of her relationship with her father, her perceived political affiliation and beliefs, or both. Those allegations formed part of her challenge to the firing.

    After her dismissal, Comey urged former colleagues to resist letting the episode influence their work. In a farewell message obtained by Politico and quoted by Mediaite, she warned that “fear is the tool of a tyrant.”

    Pete Hegseth Reportedly Eyeing Pivot To Senate Seat

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America - Pete Hegseth, CC BY-SA 2.0

    War Secretary Pete Hegseth may have his eye on a different Washington address — and the opening could depend on a fellow Republican’s next move.

    Hegseth is reportedly seeking an appointment to the U.S. Senate as concerns mount about a possible impeachment effort after the midterm elections. His potential route runs through Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn, whose seat would become available if she wins the governor’s race and leaves Congress.

    In an October 25 report, Puck described Capitol Hill chatter that Hegseth has been pressing for Blackburn to appoint him as her successor. The reporting raises the possibility of a move from President Donald Trump’s Cabinet to the chamber that could otherwise confront an impeachment case against him.

    A Senate opening — with competition

    The potential appointment comes with a significant complication: Hegseth apparently is not the only Republican interested.

    According to Mediaite’s account of Puck’s reporting, Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., also wants the seat.

    Puck journalist Leigh Ann Caldwell reported that Hegseth attended a University of Tennessee football game with Blackburn earlier this month, with Burchett alongside them. Caldwell also reported, citing someone familiar with Burchett’s intentions, that the congressman has been campaigning for Blackburn across the state.

    That puts a Tennessee lawmaker with an established political network in the mix for the same opportunity reportedly attracting Hegseth.

    Caldwell also questioned whether Hegseth’s relatively recent Tennessee residency would carry enough weight.

    His time in the state, she wrote, “might not count as real Tennessee roots.”

    Impeachment pressure builds

    The maneuvering comes as Democrats weigh their next steps against the Pentagon chief.

    Puck reported that momentum is building among House Democrats to pursue impeachment when Congress returns after Election Day. Caldwell also reported that some Republicans hope Trump will dismiss Hegseth before an impeachment effort advances, while some senators envision him stepping down before they must confront a trial. Those possibilities remain reported discussions, rather than announced decisions.

    The political backdrop is becoming more threatening for Republicans.

    CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten said Sunday that the numbers were heading toward “blowout territory,” according to Mediaite. He cited a 69% chance that Democrats would capture at least 230 House seats — a forecast that would put them comfortably above the majority threshold.

    That remains a projection. Voters have yet to determine control of the next Congress.

    Impeachment would also require separate decisions in each chamber. A House majority can approve articles of impeachment, but conviction and removal require support from two-thirds of senators present. Winning a congressional majority would not, by itself, give Democrats enough votes to remove Hegseth.

    The Pentagon has pushed back

    Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell previously denied the Senate speculation to Axios, saying Hegseth remained focused on leading the department.

    For now, the reported Senate route rests on several unresolved decisions: Blackburn must win and vacate her seat, then choose a successor. And on top of it all, Hegseth would also have to leave the Cabinet.

    Trump Echoes Demands Omar Resign As Name Revelation Sparks Expulsion Threat

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    U.S. Rep Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, and Cori Bush speak at the Mississippi River in Minneapolis asking for President Biden to stop Line 3 pipeline construction.

    The federal investigation into Ilhan Omar has spilled into a fight over her seat in Congress.

    President Donald Trump demanded the Minnesota Democrat “IMMEDIATELY resign” Thursday evening after reports highlighted a federal filing identifying her as “Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, a/k/a Ilhan Abdullahi Omar.”

    Now, a House Republican is threatening to pursue expulsion if immigration fraud is proven — escalating the political fallout from the investigation that brought federal agents to the progressive Squad member’s Washington home.

    But the allegations remain unresolved. Omar is a naturalized U.S. citizen, has not been charged with a crime and denies wrongdoing. The filing’s use of a different name does not establish fraud or automatically disqualify her from Congress.

    Trump Takes The Fight To Her House Seat

    According to The Hill, Trump used a Thursday Truth Social post to accuse Omar of entering Congress under a false name and demand her departure.

    “Please inform the Speaker of the House of Representatives, James Michael Johnson, that the Dumocrat Party has just conceded her seat,” Trump wrote.

    The president also claimed Omar had “openly admitted to FRAUD.” The reporting provided does not establish such an admission; Omar has repeatedly maintained her innocence.

    Trump carried the attack into his Iowa rally Thursday, questioning whether she could remain in office if she had been sworn in under a false name. The remarks prompted chants of “Lock her up,” The Hill reported.

    His demand is political pressure, however, rather than an order removing her from office.

    Fine Threatens An Expulsion Push

    Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital he would demand Omar’s expulsion if immigration fraud is established.

    “You can’t be in Congress if you’re not a citizen of the United States, but if it isn’t automatic, I absolutely will demand expulsion immediately,” Fine said.

    Fine also said he assumed Omar was not a citizen. That assertion conflicts with her established status as a naturalized American; an investigation alone does not revoke citizenship.

    An expulsion effort would face a substantial hurdle. The Constitution requires support from two-thirds of House members present and voting to expel a colleague. Fine’s threat is not an announced vote or an accomplished removal.

    The Name At The Center Of The Storm

    The latest clash follows Fox News Digital’s Thursday report that two people familiar with the investigation, including a law enforcement source, identified Omar’s birth name as Ilhan Nur Said Elmi.

    Prosecutors used that name in a Wednesday filing concerning access to sealed search-warrant records, listing Ilhan Abdullahi Omar as an alternative name.

    U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro raised questions about the congresswoman’s immigration records during a Thursday Fox News appearance.

    “So the question is, who is Ilhan Omar, and has she followed all of the laws as it relates to naturalization and immigration,” Pirro said, according to The Hill.

    Investigators are reportedly examining possible false statements in immigration and naturalization documents. Homeland Security Investigations agents searched Omar’s Washington residence on October 12, seizing her cellphone and other belongings.

    The name reporting has also revived the longstanding allegation that Omar married her brother for immigration purposes. She denies that allegation. A shared surname does not establish a biological relationship or a fraudulent marriage.

    Omar Says She Did Nothing Wrong

    Omar offered a sharply different account during Wednesday’s interview with MS NOW’s Chris Hayes, describing the investigation as political intimidation.

    She said agents took 17 items and that threats following the search would force her to move from her Washington apartment.

    The congresswoman told Hayes she was confident she had done nothing wrong.

    For now, Trump is demanding her resignation and Fine is threatening a conditional expulsion push. Whether either effort gains traction will depend on what investigators can substantiate — and what the House chooses to do.

    ‘He Got Whacked’: Trump Pauses South Carolina Rally After Punch Thrown In Crowd

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

    President Donald Trump’s South Carolina rally took a violent turn Wednesday night when a confrontation in the crowd interrupted his speech—and prompted a running commentary from the president.

    Trump was campaigning for Republican Sen. Darline Graham at Clemson University’s T. Ed Garrison Arena in Pendleton when a protester apparently drew a punch from another attendee.

    “Who was the guy who threw that punch?” Trump asked, according to FOX Carolina’s reporting.

    “The guy stood up and he got whacked, man.”

    The president’s reaction was approving.

    “That was great, man. Wow. Man, I loved that,” Trump said, according to Just the News. He compared the attendee to former heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield, who was also at the rally.

    Watch: FOX Carolina’s video coverage of the confrontation and Trump’s response.

    Hecklers Keep Interrupting

    The confrontation capped a barrage of disruptions that repeatedly pulled Trump away from his campaign pitch.

    Trump took the stage around 7:08 p.m. and was interrupted six times within his opening 10 minutes, FOX Carolina reported, citing the White House press pool.

    Roughly 20 minutes into the speech, officers removed three more hecklers. One shouted “traitor,” while another demanded the release of the Epstein files. Another disturbance followed minutes later, when punches were thrown.

    Supporters responded to the removals with chants of USA.

    Just the News noted that the particular clip it linked showed a protester being escorted away but did not capture the punch itself. Its report did not identify the attendee Trump praised.

    A Tightening Race Adds Pressure

    The turmoil unfolded at an event with serious stakes for Republicans.

    Graham is seeking a full Senate term after being appointed to replace her late brother, Lindsey Graham, a longtime Trump ally. Her contest against Democratic pediatrician Annie Andrews has become unexpectedly competitive, with Cook Political Report moving the race from likely Republican to lean Republican this week.

    Wednesday’s appearance drew thousands and featured more disruptions than Trump’s earlier South Carolina rally in Myrtle Beach, according to Charleston’s Live 5 News.

    Graham made the urgency plain.

    “It’s close, so please do not sit this one out,” she told supporters, the station reported. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, a South Carolina native, also addressed the crowd and urged Republican turnout.

    Trump came to help protect a Republican Senate seat. The confrontation—and his enthusiastic response—gave the campaign stop another headline.

    Trump Says Defendants Won’t Get A ‘Fair Shake’ From Letitia James. She’s Pushing Back.

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    President Donald Trump has a blunt warning about Letitia James’ role in a closely watched Cornell University sexual assault investigation: He doesn’t trust her to give the accused a fair hearing.

    The New York attorney general is pushing back, promising a fair investigation while defending the public comments that helped ignite the controversy.

    “Letitia James is a corrupt person,” Trump said when Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy asked about Gov. Kathy Hochul’s decision to appoint her as special prosecutor.

    “And I feel badly for whoever she’s looking at because they won’t get a fair shake,” Trump added, according to Fox News.

    James’ response: Her office will follow the evidence.

    Speaking to a reporter Friday, October 16, she pledged a fair investigation. During a campaign debate, she also rejected claims that she had already made up her mind, saying “politics stops at the door” of her office, Fox News reported.

    The Post Behind The Fight

    Trump isn’t the only person questioning James’ impartiality.

    Lawyers for two men named in the underlying civil lawsuit — Gillio Lopes and Winston Lee — have sought her removal. Their objections focus on a social media message James published before receiving the special prosecutor assignment.

    “What this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable,” James wrote September 28.

    “To her, and to all survivors: you’re not alone. We stand with you.”

    Defense attorneys argue that those words signal she accepted the allegations before conducting the investigation. James has characterized the message as an expression of “empathy,” according to Fox News.

    ABC News reported that Lopes’ attorney formally asked a court to overturn her appointment. Doe’s attorney, Thomas Giuffra, has rejected defense arguments challenging her account as self-serving. The accused men deny wrongdoing.

    Hochul Stands By Her Pick

    The case stems from allegations that a woman identified as Jane Doe was sexually assaulted by seven men at Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024.

    Local prosecutors initially declined to pursue charges. Cornell’s separate disciplinary investigation resulted in two expulsions and two suspensions, Fox News reported.

    Hochul appointed James on October 1 after raising concerns about the original investigation. Her executive order gives James authority to investigate and, if warranted, pursue criminal charges, superseding the local district attorney’s jurisdiction over the matter.

    The governor has stood by that decision, saying she has “every confidence” James will “look at the facts, examine the record and draw the proper conclusions,” according to Fox News.

    The dispute now reaches beyond Trump’s familiar feud with James: Defense attorneys are asking courts to determine whether her comments should disqualify her from overseeing the investigation.

    Trump Announces American’s Release From Russia After Personal Appeal To Putin

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    An American teacher held by Russia for more than four years is finally heading home — and President Donald Trump says Washington did not have to trade a prisoner to bring him back.

    Trump announced Wednesday morning that Stephen Hubbard, 74, had been released after the president personally raised his case with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a telephone conversation last week. Hubbard’s freedom coincided with special envoy Steve Witkoff’s visit to St. Petersburg for talks with the Russian leader.

    “There was no ‘swap’ necessary for this release,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, saying Hubbard was returning to the United States and would soon reunite with his family.

    “Welcome home Stephen, it’s great to have you back,” the president added.

    The announcement marks another breakthrough in the administration’s efforts to bring detained Americans home. But other families are still waiting, and reporting before Hubbard’s release suggested Washington was pursuing a broader agreement.

    A Personal Appeal — And A Long-Awaited Breakthrough

    According to ABC News, Putin told Witkoff that Hubbard had been taken to St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport. Witkoff thanked the Russian president and conveyed Trump’s appreciation, according to a Kremlin account of their meeting.

    Trump had publicly signaled progress Tuesday, telling reporters in the Oval Office that he had pressed Putin to release Hubbard.

    “I’d love to get him back. It’s time. It’s time to have Mr. Hubbard back,” Trump said, according to ABC News.

    Hubbard, a retired teacher from Michigan, was living in eastern Ukraine when Russian forces detained him in 2022. A Russian court sentenced him in 2024 to six years and 10 months in prison on accusations that he had fought as a mercenary for Ukraine. His family disputed that account, describing him as a pacifist.

    The United States formally designated Hubbard as wrongfully detained in January 2025, according to an August statement from U.S. senators.

    Other Americans Are Still Waiting

    Hubbard’s release follows negotiations that extended beyond his case.

    ABC News reported Tuesday, citing two U.S. officials and another source familiar with the discussions, that Witkoff and Jared Kushner had been leading talks aimed at freeing multiple Americans. Those sources cautioned that the arrangement’s scope could change before anything was finalized. Wednesday’s announcement confirmed Hubbard’s release; it did not establish that the other detainees covered by those discussions were also coming home.

    Americans identified in ABC’s Tuesday reporting as still detained included Gordon Black, Michael Leake, Robert Woodland, David Barnes and Eugene Spector. Families have urged the State Department to grant additional wrongful-detention designations and make their relatives’ cases a priority.

    For those families, every release brings renewed hope.

    After former Marine Robert Gilman was freed in August, Barnes’ sister, Carol Barnes, told ABC News: “I’m happy for them, but I want to be happy for all the Americans to come home.”

    Advocates have also raised concerns about serious health problems among Americans remaining in Russian custody.

    A Growing Record Of Releases

    Hubbard joins several Americans freed from Russian detention during Trump’s second administration.

    Teacher Marc Fogel returned home in February 2025 after more than three years in Russian custody. His release was secured through an exchange involving Russian cryptocurrency figure Alexander Vinnik, ABC News reported.

    Russian-American ballet dancer Ksenia Karelina followed in April 2025. She had received a 12-year treason sentence over a donation to a charity helping Ukraine. Her release came through a prisoner exchange involving German-Russian national Arthur Petrov, according to The Wall Street Journal.

    Gilman was released on humanitarian grounds on Aug. 11, 2026, amid severe concerns about his health. The State Department said his release involved neither a prisoner exchange nor other concessions — an earlier example of an American returning from Russia without a swap.

    Hubbard’s freedom gives another family the homecoming it has waited years to celebrate. For the Americans still behind bars, the administration’s next challenge is turning ongoing negotiations into more flights home.

    Trump Hints At Russia Breakthrough As Secretive Talks Near Finish Line

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0
    The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    President Donald Trump offered a brief hint Monday: His administration was trying to secure the release of someone held overseas whom the United States had sought to bring home for years.

    Now, a new report suggests the negotiations could bring back several Americans from Russia.

    The administration is nearing a deal with Moscow to release multiple detained U.S. citizens, ABC News reported, citing two U.S. officials and another source familiar with the matter.

    Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are leading the negotiations, which the sources described as being in their final stages.

    But a crucial question remains unanswered: What would Russia get in return?

    A Retired Teacher At The Center

    The discussions have focused on Stephen Hubbard, a 72-year-old retired teacher, as well as several other Americans imprisoned on charges the administration considers dubious, according to ABC News.

    Hubbard is the only American held in Russia officially designated as wrongfully detained by the State Department, the outlet reported. His sister has previously pleaded for his return.

    Trump did not name Hubbard when discussing the effort Monday.

    He said he was “trying to get a hostage that the country has been after for a long time,” apparently referring to the retired teacher, according to ABC News.

    “Let’s see what happens,” Trump added. “That’ll be soon.”

    Moscow Acknowledges Talks

    Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov confirmed Tuesday that discussions were continuing, while offering little about their substance.

    “Dialogue on all these issues is ongoing through intelligence service channels,” he said.

    Ryabkov called Hubbard’s name “certainly familiar,” but said he had “nothing to report.”

    The negotiations come as Trump faces scrutiny over recent Russia policy decisions, including his waiver of newly imposed sanctions targeting Russian officials and oligarchs.

    ABC News did not establish that those decisions were part of a prisoner-release agreement. The terms of any potential exchange remain unknown.

    Officials also warned that the deal is unfinished: It could collapse, or its scope could change before an announcement.

    Kansas Man Allegedly Claimed He Mapped Rooftops Before Trump Rally

    By
    Madeleine Jackson
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    0

    A Kansas man allegedly threatened to shoot President Donald Trump — and claimed he had already mapped nearby rooftops — before authorities arrested him ahead of Monday evening’s campaign rally outside Wichita.

    Jaden J. Read, 24, of Clearwater, was arrested Saturday, Oct. 17, and charged by federal criminal complaint with making threats against the president, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas.

    The arrest came just two days before Trump’s planned appearance at Heartland Credit Union Arena in Park City to campaign for Republican Sen. Roger Marshall. The stop was part of the president’s push to rally Republican voters ahead of November’s midterm elections, KMUW reported.

    A Tip Exposes Alleged Threats

    Investigators received a Crime Stoppers tip Oct. 15 directing them to threatening Facebook comments beneath a KAKE News article about Trump’s upcoming visit.

    According to prosecutors, Read called for someone to shoot Trump, then posted another comment claiming he had ammunition and intended to kill the president.

    Authorities subsequently identified two more alleged threats beneath a separate report from KWCH 12 News. In those comments, prosecutors said, Read volunteered to carry out a shooting and claimed to know where Trump would speak.

    “Already mapped out roofs around,” he allegedly wrote.

    KWCH reported that Read was taken into federal custody pending a detention hearing.

    “Political violence and threats of political violence will not be tolerated,” U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser said in the Justice Department announcement.

    Threats Surge As Campaigns Intensify

    The Kansas case comes as the Secret Service confronts a sharp increase in threats against the people it protects.

    In an Oct. 11 interview with CBS’ 60 Minutes, covered by Mediaite, Secret Service Director Sean Curran said threats involving full-time protectees had increased by more than 40% compared with last year. He reported roughly 10,000 threat cases since January.

    That increase covers the agency’s full-time protectees, rather than Trump alone.

    “The world is different than what it was 20 years ago,” Curran told CBS. “You know, social media changes people.”

    The warning extends beyond presidential security. U.S. Capitol Police reported investigating 14,938 concerning statements, behaviors and communications involving members of Congress, their families, staff and the Capitol complex in 2025 — the third consecutive annual increase. Those assessments encompass a broader category than prosecutable threats.

    With candidates making their final appeals to voters, the Kansas arrest puts another alleged threat against the president at the center of an already tense campaign season.

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