RALEIGH, NC (LOOTPRESS) — North Carolina congressional candidate Richard Ojeda is facing renewed scrutiny after a 2022 video resurfaced showing him making violent remarks about Stephen Miller, a senior adviser in the Trump administration.
In the video, recorded during an episode of “Ojeda LIVE,” the former West Virginia state senator and Army veteran said he would “be willing to go to jail” for attacking Miller, calling him “a freaking worm” and saying he’d “whoop his a– from the first floor to the fifth floor.”
The comments have drawn condemnation from both Republicans and Democrats amid heightened national concern over violent political rhetoric.
A Trump campaign spokesperson, Kush Desai, denounced Ojeda’s words, saying, “Unfortunately, Democrats disgustingly supporting political violence is nothing new. Neither Stephen Miller nor any other member of the administration is going to back down.”
In a statement responding to the backlash, Ojeda acknowledged his comments were inappropriate but said they came from frustration, not a desire for violence.
“The language I used reflects my discontent with how political figures like Stephen Miller are steering the nation I served for 24 years in the U.S. Army,” Ojeda said. “That said, political violence has no place in our society. I know that better than most.”
Ojeda recounted that he was once beaten nearly to death during a previous campaign for state office and said he “would not use those same words today.”
He also described his upbringing in a community of coal miners who “talk tough and don’t mince words,” adding that his comments were “four years old” and made before launching his latest run for Congress.
The controversy comes as the political climate grows increasingly tense following recent high-profile acts of political violence, including the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and multiple attempts on President Donald Trump’s life.
Even some Democrats have joined calls to curb inflammatory rhetoric, warning that “violent words precede violent actions.”
Ojeda, who previously served in the 82nd Airborne Division, is running for North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District. Despite the backlash, campaign finance reports show he has raised more money than any of his Democratic primary opponents.
In his closing remarks to Fox News Digital, Ojeda stood by his criticism of Miller while emphasizing his rejection of violence:
“I’ll admit I was angry then, and I’m still angry now,” he said. “People like Stephen Miller disgust me — but violence isn’t the answer.”
