DHS boss Noem vows to 'hunt' down those making swatting calls targeting conservative media
Department of Homeland (DHS) Security Secretary Kristi Noem joined FBI Director Kash Patel in the fight against swatting calls targeting members of the "conservative new[s] media," announcing Wednesday her department will "hunt these cowards down."
Patel recently confirmed a rise in swatting incidents, when someone tries to send armed police to another person's house under false pretenses, aimed at media figures and their families.
The act, she said, puts the lives of the victims and responding officers in danger.
"Under President Trump's leadership, we will not sit idly by as conservative new[s] media and their families are being targeted by false swatting," Noem wrote in a post to X Wednesday.
Fbi Investigating Rise In Swatting Incidents After Several Conservatives Targeted, Kash Patel Says
She added that DHS is capable of tracing phone numbers and tracking location information.
Read On The Fox News App
"We will use it to hunt these cowards down," Noem wrote. "This is an attack on our law enforcement and innocent families and we will prosecute it as such."
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital DHS "won't get into specifics of investigations," but echoed Noem's description of swatters as "cowards."
Noem posted after several members of the conservative media, including radio hosts, podcasters, influencers and pundits, became victims of alleged swatting incidents at their homes.
Joe "Pags" Pagliarulo, a conservative radio talk show host, told Fox News host Will Cain that during a swatting call at his Texas home last week, he was awoken at 2 a.m. by more than a half dozen armed deputies.
Pagliarulo said he received an alert from one of his security cameras and saw a deputy armed with an AR-15 at his front door.
"[I] called 911 because now we've got to find out — if it's the good guys, I've got to be very careful. If it's the bad guys, I've got to go out with my gun and try to protect my family," Pagliarulo said.
Dispatchers confirmed the sheriff's office received a 911 call about a hostage situation with multiple dogs shot, apparently pretending to be Pagliarulo.
Trump Cabinet Nominees, Appointees Targeted With 'Violent, Unamerican Threats'
The swatter claimed someone was "bleeding out upstairs" and to "please hurry and get inside," making the situation even more tense for both deputies responding.
"That's the thing. Not one of those things was happening," Pagliarulo said. "My family was peacefully sleeping. I was working in my office. Nothing was going wrong in my house. But this guy, wherever he happened to be, was trying to get police to break down the door and possibly either kill me or scare us enough to where I would shut my mouth and not do what I do on the radio every day."
While deputies defused the situation, Pagliarulo said, "Your heart flops out of your chest."
Swatting Advanced From Prank Calls To 'Digital Terrorism': Expert
Pagliarulo said he immediately texted Patel, who put out a statement about swatting the next day.
"I want to address the alarming rise in 'Swatting' incidents targeting media figures," Patel wrote in a social media post Friday. "The FBI is aware of this dangerous trend, and my team and I are already taking action to investigate and hold those responsible accountable."
He added the issue isn't about politics.
"Weaponizing law enforcement against ANY American is not only morally reprehensible but also endangers lives, including those of our officers," Patel wrote. "That will not be tolerated. We are fully committed to working with local law enforcement to crack down on these crimes."
Other conservative media figures, including podcaster Nick Sortor and host Shawn Farash, reported similar swatting incidents on the same day last week as Pagliarulo, while InfoWars host Owen Shroyer uploaded a nearly 13-minute video to Wednesday sharing that he was "just swatted."
A bipartisan, bicameral bill was introduced in January to strengthen penalties against those found guilty of making swatting calls, imposing prison sentences of up to 20 years for false calls resulting in serious injury or death.
Feds Charge 2 Europeans With 'Swatting' Plot Targeting Members Of Congress, Other Elected Officials
Bill cosponsor Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, described swatting as "political terrorism" in a statement Friday.
"Multiple conservative influencers and pundits have had their homes swatted in the past several days," Gill wrote. "This is an extremely dangerous form of political terrorism. It's liable to get somebody killed, and it must end now."
Fox News Digital's Brie Stimson contributed to this report.Original article source: DHS boss Noem vows to 'hunt' down those making swatting calls targeting conservative media

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CNBC
22 minutes ago
- CNBC
Immigrant framed for Trump threats can be released on bond, judge says
The undocumented Mexican immigrant who was detained after being framed by a jailed inmate for threatening President Donald Trump can be released on a $7,500 bond, a Chicago Immigration Court judge ruled Tuesday morning. Judge Carla Espinoza said at a hearing that she does not believe Milwaukee resident Ramon Morales-Reyes is a danger to the community pending removal proceedings. The judge noted that although the 54-year-old Morales-Reyes has been arrested several times since 1996, he has only been convicted once, for disorderly conduct. An attorney representing the Department of Homeland Security did not oppose a request by the immigrant's lawyer, Cain Oulahan, requesting bond. Oulahan and Morales-Reyes appeared remotely, with the immigrant still detained in Dodge County Jail in Wisconsin. Espinoza said that if Morales-Reyes is unable to post bond, the next hearing in the case will be on July 10, and that she would set another date if the married dad of three is released. CNBC has requested comment from Oulahan. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, in a statement, said, "While this criminal illegal alien is no longer under investigation for threats against the President, he is in the country illegally with previous arrests for felony hit and run, criminal damage to property, and disorderly conduct with domestic abuse." "The Trump administration is committed to restoring the rule of law and fulfilling the President's mandate to deport illegal aliens. DHS will continue to fight for the arrest, detention, and removal of illegal aliens who have no right to be in this country," McLaughlin said. Morales-Reyes, who has lived in the United States since 1986, was arrested May 22 on suspicion that he had written three letters to law enforcement officers in Wisconsin that threatened Trump and others. A week later, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem touted Morales-Reyes' arrest in a news release that called the dishwasher an "illegal alien," and featured his photo, as well as an image of a handwritten letter threatening to shoot "your precious president" Trump. But Milwaukee police who questioned Morales-Reyes quickly realized there was a problem with the allegations against him, court records show. First, a handwriting sample Morales-Reyes provided was "completely different" from the writing on the letters and the envelopes, which bore his home address as the return address, a criminal complaint says. Also, Morales-Reyes does not speak, read, or write English fluently, while the writing in the letters was in English. When a police detective asked Morales-Reyes, "Who would want to get [him] in trouble, [he] stated that the only person who would want to get him in [trouble] was the person who had robbed him and who law enforcement knows to be the defendant, Demetric D. Scott." Scott, who is detained in Milwaukee County Jail, was arrested in late 2023 for allegedly robbing Morales-Reyes and attacking him with a box cutter. Scott, 52, told police in late May that he had written the threatening letters about Trump, and put Morales-Reyes' address on the envelopes before they were sent on his behalf by others, to get the immigrant arrested by federal authorities so that he would be unable to testify at Scott's criminal trial in July, court records state. Scott hoped that his case would be dismissed when Morales-Reyes failed to appear in court, those records say. Scott has been charged with identity theft, felony intimidation of a witness, and bail jumping in connection with the letters plot. At the time Morales-Reyes was arrested, he had applied for a special type of visa available to victims of certain crimes. The web page announcing the Morales-Reyes' arrest remains up on DHS's site, with the now discredited allegations against him. At the bottom of that page is a "disclaimer," which notes that he is no longer under investigation for threatening Trump. —
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Passenger calls in a bomb threat to Spirit Airlines after he missed his flight
A Michigan man has been arrested for allegedly calling in a fake bomb threat on a flight that he missed. On Thursday, John Charles Robinson, 23, of Michigan, was supposed to depart from the Detroit Metropolitan Airport en route to Los Angeles. He missed his flight with Spirit Airlines and was told he would have to rebook if he wanted to travel, ABC News reports. According to U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon, Jr, Robinson then "used a cell phone to call into Spirit Airlines and conveyed false information about a bomb threat to Flight 2145 departing from Detroit Metro bound for Los Angeles." 'During the call, Robinson stated in part, 'I was calling about 2145… because I have information about that flight,' and 'there's gonna be someone who's gonna try to blow up the airport,' and 'there's gonna be someone that's gonna try to blow up that flight, 2145,'' the affidavit says. Robinson allegedly provided the operator with a description of the imaginary bomber, and told them that "they're going to be carrying a bomb through the TSA" and "they're still threatening to do it, they're still attempted to do it, they said it's not going to be able to be detected. Please don't let that flight board." Spirit Airlines responded by immediately cancelling the flight and deplaning the crew and passengers for safety reasons. According to an airline official, bomb sniffing dogs and FBI agents were deployed to sweep the plane, but no explosives were found. During their investigation, FBI agents learned that Robinson had actually been booked on Flight 2145 but had missed boarding. When Robinson returned to the airport to fly out to Los Angeles, FBI agents took him into custody and played a recording of his alleged bomb threat back to him. "Robinson listened to the above-mentioned recording and confirmed he was the one that made the recorded phone call to Spirit Airlines," officials said. "Robinson also stated that the phone number that called the bomb threat in to Spirit Airlines was his phone number (and had been for approximately 6 years), that the target cellular device was his device, and he gave written consent for a search of his device." Robinson has been charged with using a cellphone to threaten or malicious convey false information concerning an attempt or alleged attempt to damage or destroy an airplane by means of an explosive, and the second is for spreading false information and hoaxes. 'No American wants to hear the words 'bomb' and 'airplane' in the same sentence. Making this kind of threat undermines our collective sense of security and wastes valuable law enforcement resources,' Gorgon said. Robinson's first court appearance was on Friday afternoon, at which time he was released on a $10,000 bond. His next appearance is scheduled for June 27 for a preliminary examination.

USA Today
40 minutes ago
- USA Today
Press groups push DHS over potential First Amendment violations during LA protests
Press groups push DHS over potential First Amendment violations during LA protests A group of more than two dozen First Amendment and press freedom advocacy groups sent a June 9 letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem over potential First Amendment violations during the protests. Show Caption Hide Caption Australian journalist shot with a rubber bullet in Los Angeles Australian journalist from 9News, Lauren Tomasi, was shot with a rubber bullet while reporting from the protests in Los Angeles. The California-based First Amendment Coalition, the Freedom of the Press Foundation and the Los Angeles Press Club led the letter to DHS. In addition, 27 other press freedom and First Amendment advocacy groups signed the June 9 letter. A host of press freedom and civil rights organizations are warning the Department of Homeland Security that federal officers 'may have violated the First Amendment rights' of journalists covering protests over immigration raids in Los Angeles. In a June 9 letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, more than two dozen organizations expressed alarm over how the events have unfolded. "The press plays an essential role in our democracy as the public's eyes and ears," wrote the groups, led by the First Amendment Coalition, Freedom of the Press Foundation and Los Angeles Press Club. "The timely reporting of breaking news is necessary to provide the public with complete information, especially about controversial events." Others signing the letter include the American Civil Liberties Union, the Committee to Protect Journalists, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), Reporters Without Borders and several unions representing journalists. "A number of reports suggest that federal officers have indiscriminately used force or deployed munitions such as tear gas or pepper balls that caused significant injuries to journalists,' the letter said. 'In some cases, federal officers appear to have deliberately targeted journalists who were doing nothing more than their job covering the news.' LA protests live updates: Over 100 people arrested, mayor says; Newsom, Trump clash The Los Angeles Press Club has documented at least 30 cases of journalists being injured while covering the protests. Several of those incidents were caught on camera. New York Post photographer Toby Canham was shot in the head with a rubber bullet, Australian journalist Lauren Tomasi was hit in the leg and Los Angeles Police Department officers detained CNN correspondent Jason Carroll. The LAPD and the California Highway Patrol have not responded to USA TODAY's request for comment on the injuries. The letter said federal officers are required to uphold the freedom of the press under the First Amendment and referenced court cases that affirmed individuals' right to record law enforcement officers executing their duties in public places and journalists' exemption from general dispersal orders so long as they are not interfering with law enforcement actions. Related: Multiple journalists injured by police nonlethal rounds while covering LA protests It said law enforcement's response to criminal conduct must therefore be 'narrowly tailored to addressing the specific conduct of those individuals.' 'To avoid any further First Amendment violations, please immediately ensure that any federal officers or personnel, or anyone acting under their direction and control, refrain from any unlawful, indiscriminate and excessive use of force against members of the press and public who are merely covering events of public concern in the Los Angeles area,' the groups wrote. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin confirmed to USA TODAY that the department received the letter. 'This is a whole-of-government approach to restore law and order,' McLaughlin said of the collaboration among DHS, the Defense Department and others in the Trump administration to respond to the protests. 'We are grateful to our military members and law enforcement who have acted with patriotism in the face of assault, taunts and violence.' Protests over immigration raids in the city started on June 6 and grew over the following days. President Donald Trump, against California Gov. Gavin Newsom's wishes, ordered 2,000 National Guard troops to the city on June 7. Newsom called the move 'purposefully inflammatory,' and the state sued the administration on June 9. Newsom referred to Trump's deployment of hundreds of Marines that same day as a 'blatant abuse of power' and said further legal action would follow. Contributing: Jeanine Santucci BrieAnna Frank is a First Amendment Reporting Fellow at USA TODAY. Reach her at bjfrank@ USA TODAY's coverage of First Amendment issues is funded through a collaboration between the Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.