Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro says Trump has called him about an arson attack at the governor’s mansion
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Democrat, said the president on Tuesday Donald Trump I called him over the weekend to discuss an arson attack on the governor’s mansion a week ago.
Shapiro said Trump called him on Saturday morning and said the president was “very elegant.”
The governor said he didn’t answer Trump’s call and sent him to voicemail because he didn’t recognize the number the president was calling.
“I’m grateful that the president called me,” Shapiro told reporters at the annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Harrisburg Governor’s residence. “I didn’t actually call him, so I came from his cell phone and didn’t have that number on the phone so I didn’t know who it was. As soon as I heard his message, I called him straight away.”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said President Donald Trump called him to discuss the arson attack on the governor’s mansion. (Federal Media Services/Distribution Materials via Reuters)
Shapiro said he spoke with Trump for about 15 minutes on a variety of topics, including the arson attacks and how his wife and children were doing after the arson incident.
“He was very elegant,” Shapiro said. “He asked how Lori and the kids were doing it.
“Obviously, I’m not going to take part in our private conversations, but he’s used to issues that matter to me,” the governor continued. “Of course I know of issues that are important to him and have agreed to stay in touch in the future.”
Shapiro told ABC News in an interview recorded later last week, airing Sunday that Trump did not call him after the April 13 attack on his residence. The governor said he had heard of it at the time from Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel.
Trump said last week when asked if he had never heard of the attacker’s motives. He also said the suspect was “not a Trump fan.”
A suspected Pennsylvania arsonist could be motivated by the war in Gaza: police
Massive fire damage to the Pennsylvania Governor’s mansion is seen on April 13, 2025 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. (Photo: Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images)
“He’s probably just a job, and certainly nothing like that can happen,” Trump said at the time.
Cody Ballmer, 38, has been charged with attempted murder, robbery, robbery, terrorism and related crimes after allegedly setting the fire to Shapiro’s residence last week.
Balmer reportedly admitted in several instances that he was motivated by the Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza and that Shapiro, a Jew, was motivated by his “want to do it to the Palestinian people.”
“Governor Josh Shapiro needs to know that Cody Ballmer will not be involved in planning what he wants to do with the Palestinians,” Ballmer is said to have told the dispatcher on the 911 call after the attack. “He needs to leave my family alone. He needs to take his eyes off my daughter. And he needs to stop killing my friends.”
“You all know where to find me. I’m not hiding. I’ll confess everything I’ve done,” he added.
Cody Ballmer, 38, has been charged with attempted murder, worsening arson, robbery, terrorism and related crimes. (wtxf)
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Warrant Details BALMER Interview State Trooper He is said to have admitted to Shapiro as “hatred.” Ballmer also admitted to the troopers that he was responsible for the arson attack and said that if he found a governor at the mansion, he planned to attack Shapiro with his hammer.
Surveillance video on the warrant shows Ballmer breaking windows at the governor’s residence before throwing the “stable device” inside. According to the warrant, Balmer broke another window, entered the residence and deployed another fried Cen device before “approaching the exit of the dining room.”
The warrant was also said by a woman who seemed to be identified as “former Paramore” by Bermer, he said. He confessed his attack He then asked her to call the police and attract him.