As federal authorities continue to investigate concerning incidents against Vice President JD Vance, the latest being an alleged assassination threat, conservatives are speaking out against the increasingly violent rhetoric of the Left.

Shannon Mathre, a 33-year-old man from Toledo, was recently indicted by a federal grand jury for his alleged crime, one which Zack Smith, a Senior Legal Fellow at The Heritage Foundation, told The Daily Signal was “very specific,” and considered a true threat not protected by the First Amendment.

Rhetoric to Blame?

This incident again raises concerns about political rhetoric.

Smith brought up “Democratic politicians using inflammatory rhetoric,” specifically, Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., claiming that federal law enforcement officers were not real law enforcement officers; Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Fry telling Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers “to get out of his city using very rude, very vulgar language;” and comments from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-NY, about “fighting Trump’s agenda in the streets.”

“What do you expect the logical conclusion of those types of incendiary language, that type of heated rhetoric. Where do you expect that to lead? I think, unfortunately, if you look at it from an objective viewpoint, it’s going to lead to these types of threats and the types of political violence that we’ve seen,” Smith shared.

Although he pointed out that those targeting political figures are “acting on their own volition,” Smith added that it’s “at a minimum problematic whenever you have this type of rhetoric.” Calls to tone down that rhetoric, he said, have not been heeded.

Another senior legal fellow at Heritage, Cully Stimson, agreed with Smith. “I would echo his comments and say that the level of vitriol and threats of violence against political opponents, especially against those on the right, is unacceptable and must stop,” he told The Daily Signal.

John R. Lott Jr., president of Crime Prevention Research Center pointed out to The Daily Signal how “rhetoric has consequences.”

“If someone truly believes the rhetoric that the Trump administration is equivalent to Nazi Germany or that it is committing genocide against trans people, it is not surprising that some individuals come to see the situation as a war in which they must kill their perceived oppressors,” he shared.

U.S. Secret Service Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi also spoke out in the wake of Mathre’s arrest. “As a society, we must remain united in our zero tolerance for political violence. This individual will now answer for his actions to a federal court,” he told The Daily Signal.

The Alleged Incident

According to the Department of Justice, Mathre allegedly threatened to kill the vice president during his trip to Ohio last month. He was arrested by the U.S. Secret Service and appeared before a judge on Feb. 6.

“I am going to find out where he (the vice president) is going to be and use my M14 automatic gun and kill him,” Mathre allegedly stated in the indictment, according to a DOJ press release.

“Hostile and violent threats made against the Vice President, or any other public official, will not be tolerated in our District,” David M. Toepfer, U.S attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, said. “Anyone threatening this kind of action will face swift justice and prosecution. We commend the actions of our local and state law enforcement who collaborated with U.S. Secret Service to take this individual into custody.”

“I can say that the investigation included not only what the defendant said online and to people, but also his actions and behavior. We have been following this for several months with our partners at the FBI and in Ohio,” Guglielmi said.

Attorney General Pam Bondi weighed in as well. “Our attorneys are vigorously prosecuting this disgusting threat against Vice President Vance,” she said. “You can hide behind a screen, but you cannot hide from this Department of Justice.”

Mathre faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 if convicted of such a crime. He’s also facing charges of child sexual abuse materials. That charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 if convicted.

“Anyone that spends any time in a room with Mr. Mathre or has any knowledge of his condition—physical condition, mental condition—can see that it’s a farce,” Mathre’s attorney McElroy said, according to CBS News. He explained his client has “some mental disabilities and a variety of other conditions.”

The Daily Signal also reached out to McElroy’s law office.

A Concerning Pattern

The alleged threat is not the only recent incident against the vice president or others in the Trump administration.

A grand jury last month charged William DeFoor over an incident at Vance’s Cincinnati home. The 26-year-old was charged with damaging government property; engaging in physical violence against a person in a restricted building; and assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers.

Last month, Marco Antonio Aguayo, 22, of Anaheim, California, was arrested for death threats on Instagram against the vice president when his family went to Disneyland last year.

There have also been acts of violence against other political figures on the right. Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk was assassinated last September. In 2024, while running for president, Donald Trump was shot in July 2024 and targeted with another assassination attempt two months later. He continues to face threats.

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