Former President Donald Trump shared an extremely graphic video on Thursday depicting a brutal hammer attack in Florida, which he attributed to immigration policies under President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats. The footage shows a violent homicide at a gas station in Fort Myers.
Graphic Video and Political Accusations
Trump posted the security camera video on his Truth Social platform, describing the attacker as "An Illegal Alien Criminal from Haiti" who was released into the United States due to policies he claims are supported by Biden and "the Radical Democrats in Congress." He wrote that the video of the woman's "brutal slaying is one of the most vicious things you will ever see."
Details of the Fort Myers Incident
The attack occurred on April 3, according to a Department of Homeland Security press release. Surveillance footage shows the victim, a store clerk at the gas station who has not been publicly identified, exiting the station before being approached by a man who smashed her car windshield and repeatedly struck her in the head with a hammer, killing her in broad daylight.
The attacker has been charged with murder and identified as 40-year-old Rolbert Joachin, a Haitian national, based on court documents obtained by CNN. DHS stated Tuesday that Joachin will be deported.
Trump's Criticism of Temporary Protective Status
In his post, Trump blamed the killing on the Biden Administration's grant of "Temporary Protective Status" to Haitians, calling it a "massively abused and fraudulent program." He also claimed that "Deranged Liberal District Court Judges" are blocking his efforts to revoke this status for Haitian immigrants.
This follows previous false claims by Trump during his 2024 campaign, where he alleged that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were "eating the pets" of residents.
Context and Warnings
Trump posted the video hours after his wife, Melania Trump, held an unexpected press conference addressing her ties to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, amid ongoing speculation about the former president's own connections to the sex offenders.
He cautioned viewers about the graphic nature of the video, writing, "I don't recommend you watch this tape, because it is so terrible, but felt I had an obligation to put it up so that people can see what Democrats are protecting, and wanting to come into our Country, even now, after all we've been through." He added a warning: "Again, viewer direction advised — Not for children!"
