‘Dukes of Hazzard’ Actor John Schneider Says President Joe Biden and Hunter Should Be ‘Publicly Hung’

After calling for the public executions of Joe Biden and the president's son Hunter in a violent, since-deleted social media post, actor John Schneider faced backlash and inquiries about whether he ought to face criminal charges.

Schneider, who just finished second on The Masked Singer, is most remembered for his role as Bo Duke on the television series Dukes of Hazzard. He posted the message on X around two in the morning local time on December 21, per The Guardian. “Mr President, I believe you are guilty of treason and should be publicly hung,” Schneider wrote to Biden in the angry social media post. “Your son too. Your response is..? Sincerely, John Schneider.”

The remark was in response to a post made by Biden criticizing former president Donald Trump, who is running for office again in 2024 and is now facing over 90 criminal charges. “Trump poses many threats to our country: The right to choose, civil rights, voting rights, and America's standing in the world. But the greatest threat he poses is to our democracy. If we lose that, we lose everything,” the President had written.

Under code 18, section 871, those who “knowingly and willfully... threaten to take the life of, to kidnap, or to inflict great bodily harm upon the president of the United States” are regarded to be committing a federal crime. The statute stipulates that anybody found guilty might face a fine, a maximum five-year jail sentence, or both, per Newsweek. “Wow! You’re calling for the execution of a sitting president. May the Secret Service show up at your door with a reply,” a user slammed the actor.

“Here’s John Schneider, at his peak, he was equally bad as Kevin Sorbo…super forgettable, talentless. Now this full-time drunk has threatened President Biden. Lock this MAGAT scumbag up,” a user said, sharing a picture of the actor with a cowboy hat.

The Secret Service has now launched an investigation into remarks the former Dukes of Hazzard star, Deadline reported. “We look at all threats against our protectees and, due to intent, this falls under the definition of a threat,” a law enforcement insider said. 

Schneider refuted calling for Biden's death in a statement he shared with the publication. “This is my final comment on this. I neither said nor implied any such thing. Despite headlines claiming otherwise, in my post, I did not call for an act of violence or threaten a U.S. president as many other celebrities have done in the past. I suggest you re-read my actual post and pay attention to the words before believing this nonsense,” Schneider’s statement read.

“It’s my position, which I am entitled to have, that some of our nation's leaders in Washington have lost their way, and corruption runs rampant, both on our nation’s borders and abroad. Transparency and accountability must happen for our constitutional republic to survive. There is no threat implied or otherwise in that statement.”