{"id":2423373,"date":"2025-04-14T15:16:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-14T19:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-calls-suspect-in-josh-shapiro-home-arsonist-a-wack-job-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-04-14T15:17:01","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T19:17:01","slug":"trump-calls-suspect-in-josh-shapiro-home-arsonist-a-wack-job-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-calls-suspect-in-josh-shapiro-home-arsonist-a-wack-job-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump calls suspect in Josh Shapiro home arsonist a &#8216;wack job&#8217; &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-calls-suspect-in-josh-shapiro-home-arsonist-a-wack-job-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2423373&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>In recent events, president Donald Trump publicly condemned an alleged arsonist, Cody Balmer, who is accused of setting fire to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro&#8217;s mansion.Referring to Balmer as a &#8220;wack job,&#8221; Trump stated that the attacker appeared to harbor no particular affiliation or motive,indicating that he was simply deranged. The incident took place early Sunday morning, prompting a rapid response from the Pennsylvania State Police, who safely evacuated the Shapiro family. Thankfully, no one was injured in the fire, which was extinguished by the harrisburg bureau of Fire.<\/p>\n<p>Balmer, 38, has been charged with multiple serious offenses, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/man-arrested-for-shooting-near-two-young-girls-in-viral-video-had-a-dozen-prior-arrests-including-violent-crimes\/\" title=\"Man Arrested For Shooting Near Two Young Girls In Viral Video Had A Dozen Prior Arrests, Including Violent Crimes\">including attempted murder<\/a> and aggravated arson, and was reportedly planning further violence against Shapiro. Many political figures have expressed relief at the family&#8217;s safety and condemned the arson as a deplorable act of political violence, especially since it coincided with the first night of Passover.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Trump calls arson suspect in Shapiro home fire a &lsquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">wack job&#038;rsquo<\/a>;<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2091738\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Donald Trump<\/a> denounced the alleged arsonist who set fire to Gov.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/josh-shapiro\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Josh Shapiro<\/a>&lsquo;s (D-PA)&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pennsylvania\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pennsylvania<\/a>&nbsp;governor&rsquo;s mansion on Sunday as a &ldquo;wack job&rdquo; in his first public remarks on the incident.<\/p>\n<p>The president said a motive had not been attributed to the attack against the governor when a <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> reporter questioned him.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3379596\/trump-teases-tariff-exemptions-auto-parts-flexible-person\/\">Trump teases tariff carve-outs for auto parts: &#8216;I&#8217;m a very flexible person&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3379287\/salvadoran-president-nayib-bukele-declines-return-mistakenly-deported-maryland-man\/\">Salvadoran President&nbsp;Nayib Bukele&nbsp;declines to return mistakenly deported Maryland man<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/economy\/3379437\/voters-long-term-benefits-tariff-despite-trump-sagging-approval-rating\/\">Voters see <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/desantis-office-opposition-from-ncaa-woke-corporations-strengthened-his-resolve-to-protect-girls\/\" title=\"DeSantis\u2019 Office: Opposition From NCAA, \u2018Woke\u2019 Corporations \u2018Strengthened His Resolve\u2019 To Protect Girls\">long-term benefits<\/a> of tariffs despite handing Trump sagging approval ratings: Poll<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;But the attacker was not a fan of Trump. I understand just from what I read and from what I&rsquo;ve been told,&rdquo; Trump told reporters Monday in the Oval Office. &ldquo;The attacker basically wasn&rsquo;t a fan of anybody. It&rsquo;s probably just a wack job. And certainly, a thing like that cannot be allowed to happen.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Shapiro said he and his family were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/3378952\/josh-shapiro-fire-pennsylvania-governor-mansion-family-evacuated-arson\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">woken up early Sunday morning<\/a> to banging from the Pennsylvania State Police after the fire was set.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The Harrisburg Bureau of Fire was on the scene and while they worked to put out the fire, we were evacuated from the Residence safely by Pennsylvania State Police and assisted by Capitol Police,&rdquo; Shapiro wrote on X. &ldquo;Thank God no one was injured and the fire was extinguished.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">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&rsquo;s Residence in Harrisburg. <\/p>\n<p>The Harrisburg Bureau of Fire was on the scene and while they worked to put out the fire, we were&hellip;<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GovernorShapiro\/status\/1911426722257314092?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 13, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Cody Balmer, the 38-year-old man who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/alleged-illegal-alien-from-china-charged-with-arson-fire-at-historic-church-in-alabama\/\" title=\"Alleged Illegal Alien From China Charged With ... ... At Historic Church In Alabama\">allegedly set fire<\/a> to the mansion, has been charged with attempted murder, aggravated arson, terrorism, and other charges. Balmer allegedly planned to beat Shapiro with a sledgehammer if he had encountered him.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Balmer admitted to harboring hatred towards Governor Shapiro,&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/3379215\/shocking-photos-shapiro-arson-attack\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">a police affidavit said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Elected <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/3379424\/conservatives-unite-to-condemn-arson-attack-against-josh-shapiro\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">officials<\/a> offered Shapiro, a Jewish lawmaker who was celebrating Passover, condolences after the violent incident was brought to light. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Thanks be to God that Governor Shapiro and his family were unharmed in this attack,&rdquo; Vice President JD Vance wrote on X Sunday. &ldquo;Really disgusting violence, and I hope whoever did it is brought swiftly to justice.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;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,&rdquo; Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on X. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I am saddened and deeply disturbed to learn about the arson attack on <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/GovernorShapiro\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">@GovernorShapiro<\/a>&lsquo;s residence in Harrisburg,&rdquo; Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who is also Jewish, wrote on X. &ldquo;I am praying for him and for his family&rsquo;s safety, and I am grateful to the law enforcement and first responders who acted quickly to bring them to safety.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3379300\/trump-administration-el-salvador-no-duty-to-return-migrant\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CLAIMS IT HAS NO DUTY TO RETURN DEPORTED MIGRANT FROM EL SALVADOR<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;My thoughts and prayers are with Governor Josh Shapiro and his family following the horrific arson attack on their residence,&rdquo; said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) in a statement. &ldquo;Political violence of any kind is never acceptable and it is especially unconscionable to attack a Jewish family during the first night of Passover. Everyone responsible must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Trump spent Monday morning in the Oval Office meeting with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/el-salvador\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Salvadoran<\/a>&nbsp;President&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/nayib-bukele\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Nayib Bukele<\/a>, who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3379287\/salvadoran-president-nayib-bukele-declines-return-mistakenly-deported-maryland-man\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">declined to return<\/a> a Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador by the Trump administration.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2091738\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2091738\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump labels Shapiro home fire suspect a &#8216;wack job<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2423374,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Trump-at-the-White-House-.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[53430,37061,3634,53431],"class_list":["post-2423373","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-arsonist","tag-josh-shapiro","tag-trump","tag-wack-job"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Trump-at-the-White-House-.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2423373","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2423373"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2423373\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2423377,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2423373\/revisions\/2423377"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2423374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2423373"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2423373"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2423373"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}