A Florida congressional candidate and former Marine sparked public backlash after posting a video of himself in uniform calling President Donald Trump the “Antichrist” and calling for him to be harmed. The nearly seven-minute video was shared to X on Tuesday and has received more than 300,000 views. Many netizens reacting to the video condemned the veteran’s actions, saying he needs to face consequences for targeting a sitting president.
In the video, the man, William Upham, said he had reached a “turning point” in his campaign, where he no longer believed Trump could unite the country. He compared Trump to the biblical Antichrist, claiming the president had portrayed himself as a “false messiah” and “enemy of God.”
“There is no doubt in my mind that the President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, is the Antichrist,” Upham stated. “Why do I believe this? President Trump posted an AI-generated image of him in the likeness of Jesus Christ. He has also criticized the Pope. He is nothing like Jesus Christ.”
Upham also claimed that the United States had turned away from God and become consumed by selfishness and division. He criticized Democrats for lacking common sense in their approach to handling national issues and governing. He also said that Republicans have contributed to the nation’s moral decline by failing to address racism and discrimination happening in the country.
The veteran ultimately stated that it was not too late for the country to be “saved from the Babylon” it had become as long as they repent. However, he stood by his belief that Trump was the Antichrist and called for his death.
Netizens React to the Florida Veteran’s Video
The controversial post has been heavily criticized by netizens on X. Some were outraged that Upham made the video while wearing his Marine uniform. “You are disgrace to America. You are a disgrace to that uniform. How dare you wear a marine uniform and talk ill of our president,” one person wrote. Another commented, “You do not speak for the Corps or the military. Absolutely vile behavior on your part.”
A third said, “You need to remove that uniform. You need to be arrested for these crimes.” A fourth added, “You should face a Court Martial to be stripped of rank and pay.”
One comment accused him of spreading “dangerous rhetoric,” adding, “You can have your opinions and disagreements about his actions but the ending of your video is a call for violence which I believe is your intention.” Someone else questioned, “Why are you slandering the President by claiming he is the anti-Christ? He has NEVER claimed to be a Messiah and you have no right to declare that ‘he should be killed’.”
A few others also advised him to “seek help,” suggesting he may be suffering from mental health problems.
As of this writing, both the U.S. Marine Corps and Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao have condemned Upham’s statements. In a post on X, Cao called Upham’s actions “unacceptable” and said he is no longer a Marine. Upham has not publicly responded, and the video remains on his X account.
