Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro says Trump called him about arson attack at governor’s mansion
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, revealed on Tuesday that President Donald Trump reached out to him over the weekend to discuss the recent arson attack on the governor’s mansion. Shapiro shared that Trump called him on Saturday morning and described the president as “very gracious.”
During the annual Easter Egg Hunt at the governor’s residence in Harrisburg, Shapiro informed reporters that he did not initially answer Trump’s call as he did not recognize the number from which the president was calling. Instead, he let the call go to voicemail. Shapiro stated, “I appreciated that the president called me. I actually didn’t take his call because it came from his cellphone and I didn’t have that number in my phone, so I didn’t know who it was. As soon as I heard his message, I called him right back.”
The governor shared that he had a conversation with Trump for about 15 minutes, discussing various topics including the arson attack and inquiring about the well-being of his wife and children following the incident. Shapiro mentioned, “He was very gracious. He asked how Lori and the kids were doing. [We] talked for a couple of minutes about what transpired at the residence, and then we talked for maybe the next 15 minutes or so about a whole host of other topics.”
Shapiro did not disclose the specifics of their private conversation but stated, “He’s attuned to the issues that are important to me. I, of course, know the issues that are important to him, and we agreed to stay in touch going forward.”
The governor had previously mentioned in an interview with ABC News that Trump had not contacted him after the arson attack on April 13. However, Shapiro had heard from Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel. Trump, when asked about the attacker’s motive, had stated that he had not been informed about one and described the suspect as “a whack job” who was not a fan of his.
The suspect, Cody Balmer, 38, has been charged with attempted murder, aggravated arson, burglary, terrorism, and related offenses for the attack on Shapiro’s residence. Balmer allegedly admitted to being motivated by the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza and expressed animosity towards Shapiro, who is Jewish. In a 911 call after the incident, Balmer reportedly made threatening statements towards the governor.
Surveillance footage described in a warrant showed Balmer breaking into the governor’s residence and deploying incendiary devices. He also allegedly confessed to the attack to an individual identified as his ex-paramour and instructed them to contact the authorities.
The investigation into the arson attack is ongoing, and Balmer remains in custody. The incident has raised concerns about security at the governor’s residence and the safety of public officials. Trump’s outreach to Shapiro signifies a bipartisan effort to address the disturbing incident and ensure the protection of elected officials.
