Dukes of Hazzard star John Schneider said U.S. President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden ought to be “publicly hung” over accusations of “treason.”
The since-deleted comment came early Thursday morning from Schneider’s account on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
The 63-year-old actor, best known for playing Bo Duke on the popular ’80s TV series The Dukes of Hazzard, wrote about the executions in response to a post from Biden about former president Donald Trump.
“Trump poses many threats to our country: The right to choose, civil rights, voting rights, and America’s standing in the world,” Biden, 81, wrote. “But the greatest threat he poses is to our democracy. If we lose that, we lose everything.”
In response, Schneider had strong words.
“Mr President, I believe you are guilty of treason and should be publicly hung. Your son too. Your response is..?” he wrote.
The actor signed the post, “Sincerely, John Schneider.”
Schneider’s post quickly drew attention from folks on all sides of the political spectrum, with many wondering if the response could potentially have legal consequences.
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As news of Schneider’s post began to pick up steam online, the Smallville actor denied ever making a threat against the president’s life.
In a statement to Deadline, Schneider said he never threatened Biden.
“I neither said nor implied any such thing,” the statement reads. “Despite headlines claiming otherwise, in my post, I absolutely did not call for an act of violence or threaten a U.S. president as many other celebrities have done in the past. I suggest you re-read my actual post and pay attention to the words before believing this nonsense.
“It’s my position, which I am entitled to have, that some of our nations [sic] leaders in Washington have lost their way, and corruption runs rampant, both on our nation’s borders and abroad,” Schneider continued. “Transparency and accountability must happen in order for our constitutional republic to survive. There is no threat implied or otherwise in that statement.”
Regardless of his insistence that he did not make a threat against Biden, the U.S. Secret Service may have felt otherwise. According to Deadline, the agency has initiated a probe, which is in the preliminary stage.
Neither the White House nor the Secret Service has commented publicly on Schneider or his post, nor has there been further information released about a probe.
In the U.S., it is illegal to make a “credible” threat against the nation’s leader. Threatening the life of a president can result in up to five years in jail and a US$250,000 (C$331,650) fine.
Schneider starred in The Dukes of Hazzard from 1979 to 1985. This week he placed as a runner-up on the popular TV show The Masked Singer, where he appeared as a giant sprinkle donut.
On Tuesday, a split Colorado Supreme Court declared Trump, 77, ineligible for the White House under the U.S. Constitution’s insurrection clause and removed him from the state’s presidential primary ballot. The move is likely to trigger an eventual showdown in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Trump is currently facing more than 90 criminal charges, and is still pursuing a GOP nomination for a second presidency in 2024.
In the nation’s capital, Republicans have continued to advocate for an impeachment vote aimed at Biden. House representatives have long since called for an investigation into the business dealings of Biden and his family members.
The impeachment investigation is likely to extend well into 2024, when Biden will be running for re-election. He may square off against Trump — who was twice impeached during his time in the White House.
— With files from The Associated Press
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