A Massachusetts suspect was charged this week with attempting to assassinate a cabinet nominee, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
Ryan Michael English, 24, was arrested in January after allegedly attempting to bring a knife and two improvised Molotov cocktails into the U.S. Capitol to assassinate then-Treasury Secretary nominee Scott Bessent during his nomination.
On Thursday, English was charged with the attempted assassination of a cabinet member nominee and carrying a dangerous weapon on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol Building.
English had an initial court appearance on Thursday afternoon.
PHOTOGRAPHER WINS PULITZER FOR ICONIC PHOTO OF BULLET SPEEDING BY TRUMP’S HEAD DURING ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
A Massachusetts suspect was charged this week with attempting to assassinate a cabinet nominee, the U.S. Department of Justice said. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Prosecutors said that English had also originally plotted to kill House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and was inspired by United HealthCare CEO murder suspect Luigi Mangione.
English walked up to a U.S. Capitol Police officer on Jan. 27 and allegedly stated, “I’d like to turn myself in,” according to initial charging documents.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was allegedly English’s target. (Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
English claimed to have two Molotov cocktails and two knives and expressed being there “to kill Scott Bessent,” according to court documents. Federal prosecutors said English left home in Massachusetts and traveled to Washington with the intent of killing Hegseth, whom the suspect referred to as a “Nazi,” and Johnson, and burning down the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank near the White House.
Capitol Police officers found a folding knife and two improvised incendiary devices made of vodka bottles with a grey cloth affixed to the top inside English’s jacket during a search.
Prosecutors said that English had originally plotted to kill House Speaker Mike Johnson, pictured, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. (Getty Images/AP)
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They found a green lighter in another pocket.
Fox News’ Danielle Wallace and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.