Trump points to far-left policies in California for destroying state: 'Paradise lost'
Former President Trump criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Vice President Kamala Harris at a rally in Coachella Valley, Cali., Saturday.
The man being accused of a potential third assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump spoke with Fox News Digital and says the claims against him are false in his first extended interview since his arrest.
Vem Miller, 49, said he reported the guns to authorities, which he says he always travels with despite never using them, at a checkpoint to get into Trump's Coachella rally on Saturday evening and argued that documents Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said were fake are legit.
His arrest on gun charges sparked speculation, following two assassination attempts on Trump since July. But he was quickly released on $5,000 bail and so far, no federal charges have been filed.
"I always travel around with my firearms in the back of my truck," Miller told Fox News Digital in a phone interview.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a campaign rally at the Calhoun Ranch, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Coachella, Calif. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
He says he has never fired them, but he started keeping them with him when he started getting death threats.
"I've literally never even shot a gun in my life," Miller said.
"I don't know anything about guns. I am beyond a novice," he continued.
Miller said he has been a 30-year member of the media and started work after graduating from high school. He has also worked on music videos and TV shows with major artists, and launched America Happens Network to combat "censorship" in the media. It was while doing this work that Miller told Fox he began receiving death threats, and purchased his firearms.
Miller said he was a Democrat growing up, and thought Barack Obama was going to "save us from needless wars and censorship."
"I'm certainly more Republican now," he says, and described himself and his business partner as more libertarian.
"Yes, I'm 100% a Trump supporter," Miller said, adding that he was "all-in" with Trump by 2018.
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Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a rally in Coachella, California, U.S., October 12, 2024. (REUTERS/Mike Blake)
"This is a man that I deeply admire, because I was a closet individual in terms of my beliefs, because I worked in Hollywood. As my politics started to change, I realized that Hollywood is a homogenous community," Miller continued.
Miller said he flirted with Sanders "without realizing the implications of socialism" but now, and since 2018, he has "Constitutional beliefs," calling Trump a "visual example of freedom of speech."
Miller even called Trump "brave" and said he admires the former president for going after the media.
When asked about all the fake ID's and passports he had in his car, Miller claimed not one of them was a fake.
"None of those are fake," he says of the passes and IDs that were in his possession.
Miller says he's Armenian and has documents that use his full Armenian name and documents that don't, because using those documents in some places around the world could get him killed, referring to campaigns over the centuries to murder Armenians.
He also addressed Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco alluding that he was part of the "sovereign citizens" movement.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Calhoun Ranch, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Coachella, Calif. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
"That's a nonsensical statement," he says of the "Sovereign Citizen" movement. Miller said he doesn't support it and is not a part of it.
"I don't think there's such a thing," he says, adding that the two terms don't make any sense together.
As for the sheriff's accusation that he is "far-right," Miller says, "That's another nonsensical statement."
"Government is an inanimate object, it's the individuals within government that matter, so no, I'm not a part of any of that," Miller said. "They're saying that I'm part of these right-wing anti-government groups? Why aren't they naming these groups? Because it doesn't exist."
A source close to the Trump campaign also told Fox News's Bill Melugin, and another told Fox News' Bryan Preston, that they do not believe this was an assassination attempt on Trump.
A spokesperson for the Trump campaign issued a statement to Fox News Digital and said they were monitoring the situation.
"We thank law enforcement for securing the rally site and helping ensure the safety of President Trump. We are aware of news reports about the arrest and are currently monitoring the situation and gathering more information," the statement read.
In a previous statement, the Riverside County Sheriff's Office said, "This incident did not impact the safety of former President Trump or attendees of the event."
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