Former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter sent a fundraising email with profanity targeting President Donald Trump less than two days after a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The email, obtained by The Daily Wire, urged supporters to say 'F*** Trump' and donate to her California gubernatorial campaign. Critics highlighted the timing following the apparent assassination attempt on Trump.
On Saturday night, would-be assassin Cole Tomas Allen reportedly charged a Secret Service checkpoint and fired shots at the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where thousands gathered. Officials indicated the shooter aimed to target Trump and other administration figures. Porter, a Democrat running to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, made no public statements condemning the incident on Facebook or X beforehand. The email arrived Monday night via LeftNet, a progressive network. Its subject read “F*** Trump,” linking to Porter’s speech at the California Democratic Party convention. It included lines like: “Say it with me. Ready, 1 … 2 … 3 … F*** Trump,” and “Yeah, that’s right, F*** Trump. Together, we’re going to kick Trump’s ass in November and stop him in his tracks.” Porter pledged to confront Trump as before, even without her whiteboard, while framing her gubernatorial bid broader. Conservative commentator Bethany Mandel posted on X: “imagine Barack Obama surviving three assassination attempts and 18 hours later, a Republican sent a fundraising email like this.” Kari Lake, with the United States Agency for Global Media, responded: “It takes a lot to shock me. But this truly is shocking.” Texas Rep. Daniel Alders called the Democratic Party “unhinged.” Porter competes in a crowded field for the June 2 top-two primary, bolstered by ex-Rep. Eric Swalwell’s exit over misconduct claims. Polls from RealClearPolling show Republican Steve Hilton ahead, with Democrat Tom Steyer leading his party but Porter close behind. Her campaign has seen prior scrutiny, including a heated CBS News California interview and a 2021 video where she told a staffer, “Get out of my f***ing shot!”
