'Low IQ lunatic' is Trump's label for Jeffries as he demands charges over the WHCD attack
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump on Thursday, May 7, called for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to face criminal charges, accusing the Democratic leader of “inciting violence” in connection with last month’s attempted shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump shared a graphic juxtaposing Jeffries’ recent political remarks with surveillance footage from the April 25 attack.
The president argued that Jeffries’ rhetoric contributed to the attempted assassination, escalating political tensions surrounding the incident. Jeffries has rejected that characterization and defended his earlier comments.
Trump links Hakeem Jeffries' rhetoric to the April attack
Trump described Jeffries as a “lunatic” and a “Low IQ” lawmaker and said he “should be charged with INCITING VIOLENCE.”
The post included side-by-side images of Jeffries speaking at an April 21 press conference and security footage from the attempted shooting at the Washington Hilton, where Trump was attending the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
At that earlier press conference, Jeffries addressed Democratic efforts to counter Republican-backed redistricting proposals and said, “We are in an era of maximum warfare, everywhere, all the time.”
The remarks were made during a broader discussion of electoral map disputes in several states ahead of the midterm cycle.
Trump’s post suggested that the language contributed to the violence that unfolded three days later, when an armed suspect allegedly attempted to breach a Secret Service checkpoint at the dinner venue.
Federal prosecutors have charged the suspect, Cole Allen, with attempted assassination of the president, assaulting a federal officer, transportation of a firearm and discharging a weapon during a violent crime.
Investigators are continuing to examine the suspect’s motive, including social media activity and political grievances outlined in court filings.
Under federal law, incitement charges require proof that a person intended to persuade or induce another individual to commit a violent act, a legal threshold that experts say can be difficult to establish in political speech cases.
Hakeem Jeffries defends comments as political speech
Jeffries has defended the “maximum warfare” phrase, saying it was used in the context of political and legislative battles over congressional district maps.
Speaking to reporters after the shooting, Jeffries said, “As it relates to the comment related to ‘maximum warfare, everywhere, all the time’, in connection with the redistricting battle that Republicans launched, I stand by it.”
He dismissed criticism of the phrase, adding, “I don’t give a damn about the criticism ... get lost.”
The White House had also drawn scrutiny after Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, speaking ahead of the dinner, said Trump’s remarks at the event would be lighthearted and joked there would be “some shots fired tonight in the room,” a reference to the traditional comedic exchanges at the annual dinner.
The comment gained renewed attention after the attack, though officials have treated it as unrelated.
Trump’s latest demand against Jeffries follows his earlier calls this week for the Democratic leader’s impeachment over criticism of the Supreme Court, adding to an intensifying political clash between the White House and congressional Democrats.
