U.S. Marine Corps Condemns Ex-Marine for Violent Statements Against Trump
The U.S. Marine Corps has criticized Florida congressional candidate William Upham after he posted a video statement on social media advocating for the death of President Donald Trump. This statement sparked widespread condemnation, leading the Corps to publicly distance itself from the former Marine.
According to the Marines, Upham was medically discharged on May 30, 2025, and his views do not align with the values expected from Marines. In a post on X, the Corps expressed awareness of Upham’s statements, labeling them as a clear violation of his sworn oath and inconsistent with Marine values. Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao also addressed the issue on X, stating that Upham is no longer a Marine and does not represent military values or ethos.
In his video, Upham, wearing a uniform, explained his candidacy as an effort to address the influence of Washington insiders and repair the political system. He expressed a belief that the nation is broken under President Trump, whom he described as contrary to divine intentions. Upham accused both Democrats and Republicans of being misguided and advocated self-defense against all enemies. His remarks took a dire tone, labeling President Trump as an anti-Christ, urging his demise, allegedly due to critiques Trump made against Pope Leo XIV and an AI-created image portraying Trump in a Jesus-like manner.
Upham is registered as a write-in candidate for the U.S. Representative District 5 race in Florida, a seat presently held by Republican John Rutherford, covering regions like Jacksonville and St. Augustine. This incident highlights growing concerns about the intense nature of political rhetoric in the U.S. Leaders across political affiliations have cautioned that language endorsing or excusing political violence can foster a perilous environment.
Authorities heavily scrutinize threats or violent advocacy against officials, especially involving the president. Threats against Trump have occurred, such as an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally on July 13, 2024, and shots fired at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in April this year. Recent high-profile assassinations of figures like conservative activist Charlie Kirk and Democrat Melissa Hortman underscore these apprehensions.