President Donald Trump has addressed the recent arson attack on the residence of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. During a press interaction, Trump remarked that the perpetrator is “not a fan of Trump” and described him as “probably just a whack job.” The attack, which involved Molotov cocktails being hurled at the governor’s Harrisburg home, caused substantial damage but fortunately, no one was harmed.
Last night at about 2AM, my family and I woke up to bangs on the door from the Pennsylvania State Police after an arsonist set fire to the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg.
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro)
April 13, 2025
Cody Balmer, a 38-year-old from Harrisburg, confessed to the crime. The arson has drawn attention across the nation, though some suggest it may soon fade from public discourse.
This is Cody Balmer, the suspect who tried to set fire to Josh Shapiro’s house. He’s 1,000%, not MAGA, so you can expect this story to drop out of the headlines by this time tomorrow
— Vince Langman (@LangmanVince)
April 13, 2025
Trump, when asked about this violent act, asserted, “The attacker was not a fan of Trump, I understand, just from what I read and from what I’ve been told. The attacker basically wasn’t a fan of anybody, he was probably just a whack job.” Emphasizing the severity of the situation, Trump added, “And certainly a thing like that cannot be allowed to happen.”
JUST IN: Trump issues new statement on the arson and attempted m*rder of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. “The attacker was not a fan of Trump, I understand… wasn’t a fan of anybody, was just a whack job.” “A thing like that cannot be allowed to happen.”
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh)
April 14, 2025
Balmer faces serious charges, including attempted murder, terrorism, and aggravated arson. The quick response and arrest by law enforcement have been widely praised.
I am deeply relieved that Governor Shapiro and his family are safe, thankful for the first responders who arrived on the scene, and applaud the police work that resulted in an arrest just hours ago.
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi)
April 13, 2025
Attorney General Pam Bondi expressed her relief over the safety of Governor Shapiro and his family and gratitude to the first responders whose swift actions led to Balmer’s arrest.
