Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem has promised the American people that federal officials will “hunt” down the leftist “cowards” who are responsible for launching swatting attacks against prominent conservatives.
Noem has joined forces with FBI Director Kash Patel to tackle the recent surge in swatting calls against members of the conservative news media.
On Wednesday, Noem vowed that DHS and the FBI would “hunt these cowards down.”
A swatting attack is when someone tries to send armed police to another person’s house under false pretenses.
The false reports usually claim that a gunman is killing people inside the building to trigger an emergency response from law enforcement.
However, swatting is extremely dangerous and puts the lives of those who are targeted at risk.
In addition, the hoaxes can harm other innocent people who were not targeted.
As Slay News reported, a woman was killed during a police response to a swatting hoax in December.
The woman died when the home of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) was targeted in Georgia.
As officers rushed to respond to what they believed was an emergency situation at Greene’s home, local police were involved in a car crash that left a woman dead.
Patel confirmed there has been a rise in swatting incidents aimed at media figures and their families in recent weeks.
Noem warned that the act puts the lives of the victims, responding officers, and innocent civilians in danger.
In a Wednesday post on X, Noem wrote:
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we will not sit idly by as conservative new[s] media and their families are being targeted by false swatting.”
She added that DHS is capable of tracing phone numbers and tracking location information.
“We will use it to hunt these cowards down,” Noem wrote.
“This is an attack on our law enforcement and innocent families and we will prosecute it as such.”
Under President Trump’s leadership, we will not sit idly by as conservative new media and their families are being targeted by false swatting. @DHSgov has the ability to trace phone numbers and track location information. We will use it to hunt these cowards down.
This is an…
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) March 19, 2025
Noem’s warning came after several members of the conservative media, including radio hosts, podcasters, influencers, and pundits, became victims of alleged swatting incidents at their homes.
Joe “Pags” Pagliarulo, a conservative radio talk show host, told Fox News host Will Cain that during a swatting call at his Texas home last week.
He said he was awoken at 2 a.m. by more than a half dozen armed deputies.
Pagliarulo said he received an alert from one of his security cameras and saw a deputy armed with an AR-15 at his front door.
“[I] called 911 because now we’ve got to find out — if it’s the good guys, I’ve got to be very careful,” Pagliarulo said.
“If it’s the bad guys, I’ve got to go out with my gun and try to protect my family.”
Dispatchers confirmed the sheriff’s office received a 911 call about a hostage situation with multiple dogs shot, apparently pretending to be Pagliarulo.
The swatter claimed someone was “bleeding out upstairs” and to “please hurry and get inside,” making the situation even more tense for both deputies responding.
“That’s the thing,” Pagliarulo said.
“Not one of those things was happening.
“My family was peacefully sleeping.
“I was working in my office.
“Nothing was going wrong in my house.
“But this guy, wherever he happened to be, was trying to get police to break down the door and possibly either kill me or scare us enough to where I would shut my mouth and not do what I do on the radio every day.”
While deputies defused the situation, Pagliarulo said, “Your heart flops out of your chest.”
Pagliarulo said he immediately texted Patel.
Patel put out a statement about swatting the next day.
In a Friday post on X, Patel wrote:
“I want to address the alarming rise in ‘Swatting’ incidents targeting media figures.
“The FBI is aware of this dangerous trend, and my team and I are already taking action to investigate and hold those responsible accountable.”
He added the issue isn’t about politics.
“Weaponizing law enforcement against ANY American is not only morally reprehensible but also endangers lives, including those of our officers,” Patel wrote.
“That will not be tolerated.
“We are fully committed to working with local law enforcement to crack down on these crimes.”
I want to address the alarming rise in ‘Swatting’ incidents targeting media figures. The FBI is aware of this dangerous trend, and my team and I are already taking action to investigate and hold those responsible accountable.
This isn’t about politics—weaponizing law enforcement…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) March 14, 2025
Other conservative media figures, including podcaster Nick Sortor and host Shawn Farash, reported similar swatting incidents on the same day last week as Pagliarulo.
Meanwhile, InfoWars host Owen Shroyer uploaded a nearly 13-minute video to Wednesday sharing that he was “just swatted.”
A bipartisan, bicameral bill was introduced in January to strengthen penalties against those found guilty of making swatting calls, imposing prison sentences of up to 20 years for false calls resulting in serious injury or death.
In a statement on Friday, the bill’s cosponsor Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) described swatting as “political terrorism.”
“Multiple conservative influencers and pundits have had their homes swatted in the past several days,” Gill wrote.
“This is an extremely dangerous form of political terrorism.
“It’s liable to get somebody killed, and it must end now.”
READ MORE – MSNBC Forced to Issue Corrections After Pushing False Smear About Tulsi Gabbard
