John Washington III Condemns Threats Against Officials and Says Government Must Answer to the People
John Washington III, a 2028 presidential candidate, said a Michigan man's charge over an alleged threat against the FBI director points to a deeper problem: Americans are losing trust in the institutions meant to serve them, and the answer is accountability — never threats or violence.
John Washington III drew a hard line on political threats on Saturday, responding to news that a Michigan man has been charged with allegedly threatening to kill FBI Director Kash Patel. "There is a big difference between standing up for your rights and threatening someone's life," John Washington III wrote. Every American has the right to challenge their government, criticize elected officials and speak out against corruption, he wrote — but not to threaten anyone.
"I do not support threats, violence, or intimidation against anyone, whether they're an ordinary citizen, a police officer, an FBI director, or the president of the United States," John Washington III wrote. "But I also do not support a government that expects respect without accountability." Nobody should be above the law, he wrote, including the people enforcing it.
John Washington III argued the case should start a wider discussion about trust. When citizens become frustrated with their government, he wrote, the country should be asking why so many Americans are losing trust in the institutions created to serve and protect them. "The answer is not to threaten the government," he wrote. "The answer is to make the government answer to the people" — by protecting freedom of speech, upholding due process, demanding transparency and holding public officials accountable without resorting to violence.
