A Louisiana veteran sparked panic after calling into a live television broadcast to urge would-be assassins to “shoot that shot” at Donald Trump.
The chilling threat came during a C-Span broadcast of the Washington Journal, where host John McArdle welcomed “Willie from Louisiana” to the show.
“Good morning. I just want to say that I am a very patriotic American. I served 20 years in the Army, two tours in Vietnam, was wounded in 1966 and came back in 1968,” the caller said. “I look at myself and see that we let this man, Trump, destroy America.
“And I look at it and say, ‘Well, those two people had to step up and take that shot!'”
McArdle appeared alarmed as he cut off the caller’s warning, which came after Trump faced two assassination attempts in two months.
C-Span host John McArdle of the Washington Journal abruptly cut off a call from a person urging would-be assassins to “shoot that shot” at Donald Trump
The chilling threat came after Trump faced two assassination attempts in two months, including a terrifying near-attempt in Pennsylvania in July when a gunman shot him in the ear.
After the caller urged people to “step forward and attack” Trump, McArdle attempted to let “Willie” retract his claims.
“I’m sorry, Willie. You’re not advocating violence, are you?” the presenter asked.
“This isn’t about violence. I’m talking about defending my country,” Willie replied, prompting McArdle to cut him off the air.
McArdle’s apparent panic over the outburst came as some liberals have been condemned in recent days for their reaction to a second assassination attempt on Donald Trump in the span of two months.
The first occurred in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, when 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks shot Trump while he was on stage at a rally.
Trump cheated death as the bullet only grazed his ear, triggering an ongoing congressional investigation as questions arose about the numerous security failures that allowed the attempt to unfold.
This followed another attempt on Sunday, when would-be assassin Ryan Routh, 58, was arrested in Palm Beach, Florida, while allegedly planning to shoot Trump at his golf course.
On Sunday, 58-year-old felon Wesley Routh was arrested after allegedly plotting to assassinate Donald Trump while he was golfing in Palm Beach, Florida.
Officials released an image of the alarming belongings Routh left at the scene, including a loaded Soviet-style AK-47 rifle known as an SKS, two bags, a digital video camera and a ceramic-coated bulletproof vest.
Routh’s arrest came two months after 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks shot Trump in the ear in a terrifying incident during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Routh marked the course and was waiting for Trump two holes ahead of him, but fled the scene after the Secret Service spotted him hiding.
He was arrested 50 miles from the club after a witness saw Routh fleeing the scene in a stolen black Nissan pickup and was able to share the license plate with police and later identify the suspect.
The gunman left a loaded Soviet-style AK-47 rifle, known as an SKS, two bags, a digital video camera and a ceramic-coated bulletproof vest in bushes at Trump’s golf club on Sunday.
In an explosive update on Tuesday, it was revealed that Routh had been on the FBI’s radar since 2019, following a tip that the convicted felon was in possession of a firearm.
As conspiracy theories began to emerge, federal and local officials insisted that Routh was a lone actor.
As questions mount over the two assassination attempts, the Secret Service said it was reviewing its handling of the 2024 presidential candidate’s security team.
After Kimberley Cheatle resigned following the Butler, Pennsylvania, shooting, Ronald Rowe took over the agency and admitted the day after Routh’s arrest: “We need to get out of a reactive model and into a preparedness model.”
Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe admitted after the assassination attempts that agents “need to move away from a reactive model to a preparedness model.”
“There could be another geopolitical event that could put the United States in a kinetic conflict, or some other, some other issue that could result in additional responsibilities and protected persons for the United States Secret Service,” the acting director said.
“We have no alternative,” Rowe continued.
“Success is something we have to have every day. We cannot afford failure. And to achieve that, we are going to have difficult conversations with Congress and we are going to get it done.”
Routh appeared in court on Monday and was charged with two counts: possession of a firearm while a convicted felon; and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.