Trump calls Virginia candidate Jay Jones an “animal” over violent text messages
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President Donald Trump has condemned the Democratic nominee for Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones He called him an “animal” on Sunday, saying anyone else would find themselves “in prison” over his text messages wishing death to political opponents.
Trump made the comments while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, just days after Jones repeatedly attacked the president during a campaign debate in Virginia last week. Reporters pressed Trump on whether he planned to weigh in on the attorney general contest.
“Do you mean the person who wanted to kill some of his children and kill someone? Do you mean the animal who wanted to kill someone who should not be allowed to run for this office?” Trump said when asked about Jones.
“He’s a third-rate intellectual,” Trump said. “He’s a man who – I’ve never seen anyone say what he said, that he wanted to kill his opponent’s children – he wanted to kill his opponent.” “I can’t imagine anyone voting for Jay Jones. Look, you would think he’s completely discredited. I think he wouldn’t even be allowed to do that; anyone would be put in jail for what he said.”
WATCH: Kaine defends Jones amid Attorney General nominee’s texts depicting GOP leader’s murder: ‘Still in support’
US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters on October 19, 2025 aboard Air Force One. The President returns to Washington, D.C., after spending the weekend at the Mar-a-Lago Resort in Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
“He could join a long list of prosecutors who have sued and lost,” Trump added.
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In messages first reported earlier this month, Jones texted Virginia Rep. Carrie Coyner in 2022, imagining a scenario in which he would choose to “fire two bullets” into then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert’s head, calling Gilbert worse than dictators Pol Pot and Adolf Hitler.
Jones also referred to Gilbert’s young children as “fascists” in the exchange.
Jones has since apologized for the text messages and said he now feels “embarrassed” by them.
Jay Jones, who is running to become Virginia’s attorney general in 2025, has come under fire for a series of text messages calling for the killing of political opponents. (Maxine Wallace/The Washington Post/Getty Images)
Liberal media downplays DEM Virginia AG scandal brimming with Jay Jones texts that fantasize about killing GOP lawmaker
But the controversy did not stop prominent Virginia Democrats from endorsing Jones. Virginia gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger endorsed Jones before the controversy and has since refused to withdraw the endorsement. Her campaign website also still sells Jones-branded merchandise.
The Republican Governors Association, which supports Spanberger’s opponent, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earl Sears, criticized Spanberger’s campaign for continuing to market Jones-branded merchandise more than a week after texts surfaced depicting him fantasizing about the murder of the GOP leader and his children.
Abigail Spanberger has refused to withdraw her endorsement of Jay Jones following the controversy sparked by his script. (Maxine Wallace/The Washington Post/Getty Images)
“Jay Jones threatened to kill his political opponent and their children, and Abigail Spanberger is still fully supporting him and trying to make money off of it,” Colin Crompton, the RGA’s director of rapid response, told Fox News Digital.
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“If Spanberger is willing to put partisan politics above doing the right thing and standing up to political violence, how can she be trusted as governor?” Crompton asked.
Fox News’ Charles Kretz contributed to this report.