Leftist Tries To Kill Speaker, Sec Def, and Treasury Secretary

A Massachusetts man was arrested near the U.S. Capitol with Molotov cocktails and a knife, admitting he planned to assassinate top political figures, including Speaker Mike Johnson and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, driven by extreme political motivations.

A Massachusetts man was arrested near the U.S. Capitol on January 27, 2025, after admitting he traveled to Washington, D.C., with plans to assassinate high-profile political figures, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Ryan Michael “Reily” English, 34, told authorities that his actions were driven by extreme political views, particularly his perception of those he believed were supporters of former President Trump. He revealed to Capitol Police that he had brought Molotov cocktails and a knife with the intent to kill his targets, and also to cause destruction at the Heritage Foundation.

According to a court affidavit, English approached a Capitol Police officer near the South Door of the Capitol, confessed to carrying multiple weapons, and stated he wanted to "turn himself in." A subsequent search revealed a folding knife, two Molotov cocktails made from vodka bottles and cloth rags, and a lighter. English also admitted that after initially planning to target Hegseth and Johnson, he shifted his focus to Bessent after reading about his confirmation hearings online.

English’s preparations were extensive: he intentionally left his phone behind when traveling from Massachusetts to avoid surveillance, and purchased an atlas to navigate to D.C. without GPS. He also conducted surveillance at the Capitol, concluding that he would need to kill multiple officers to reach his targets, and expressed a willingness to die in a confrontation with law enforcement.

English now faces charges for unlawful transportation of a firearm and bringing incendiary devices into the Capitol, as reported by Politico. Authorities say his actions were part of a violent political motive, underscoring the dangers of radicalized extremism.