Van Orden Blames “Far-Left Rhetoric” for Death Threat Against Family, Calls for Federal Crackdown on Political Violence
May 7, 2025 | 4:44 PM
His family safe, U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) broke his silence Wednesday in a defiant and emotionally charged radio interview, describing in stark terms the “unprecedented” death threat made against his family that led him to miss multiple congressional votes last week.
Speaking with conservative host Dan O’Donnell on Milwaukee’s NewsTalk 1130 WISN, Van Orden offered new details about the threat, voiced deep concern about the rising tide of political violence in America, and accused his political opponents and elements of the “far left” of creating a toxic environment that endangers public servants and their families.
“My family is in more danger now that I’m a Republican in Congress than they were when I was hunting and killing terrorists as a Navy SEAL,” Van Orden said. “That is a very, very sad indictment on the United States of America and the political playing field right now.”
Van Orden has secured around-the-clock armed security for his family members.
As we previously reported, in a post to X last night Van Orden’s office indicated the Congressman would miss some votes in Washington while addressing his family’s safety back home.
“My family was targeted by a specific death threat due to inflammatory far-left rhetoric. I will never apologize for putting their safety first.”
In today’s interview with Dan O’Donnell on WISN, Van Orden said the threat went far beyond the kind of harassment that many public officials regularly receive. He described it as “vicious,” “specific,” and “disgusting.”
“I’m intimately familiar with intelligence work… The specificity of this letter and the vitriol and violence that were expounded on was truly unprecedented,” he said.
Van Orden said local and federal law enforcement responded swiftly, with Capitol Police, local police, and county sheriff’s deputies now providing around-the-clock protection for his home. “They’re sitting in our driveway and keeping an eye on things, which I really appreciate,” he said.
He also revealed that he has been in contact with former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney General. “The FBI is involved. It’s an active investigation. I literally just talked to the attorney general of the United States, and she will charge you,” Van Orden said. “You will be convicted, and you will go to prison.”
Van Orden said the threats will not make him veer from his conservative political agenda. “You will not intimidate me. You will no,” he said.
In the midst of his warnings and criticism, Van Orden took a rare moment to acknowledge a political rival for showing solidarity. He singled out Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.)—a progressive Democrat with whom he has frequently clashed online—for a public statement condemning the threat and expressing support.
“You can’t get farther apart from him politically,” Van Orden said. “But he put out what I believe to be a heartfelt message… And so, I’d like to thank Mark for doing that. That’s the first step to get rid of this vitriol and allowing us to focus on the job.”
Van Orden recounted a similar episode months ago, when a threat was made against Pocan and Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.). Despite his political differences, Van Orden said he acted immediately to help ensure their safety.
“The first thing I did when I found out about this was have my chief [of staff] get a hold of them—like, immediately,” he said. “And then we got a hold of the police. That guy wound up getting arrested. The sheriff went out and picked him up.”
Van Orden said his response then was driven by a belief that elected officials must be able to do their jobs without fear for their lives. “Even though I fundamentally disagree with them… they’re members of Congress. They can’t do that if they’re worried about getting killed.”
Van Orden contrasted Pocan’s message with what he described as silence from his own political opponents. “It would be really great if maybe the people I’m actually running against, though, would condemn political violence,” he said. “Because as far as I know, they haven’t said anything. Silence is complicity.”
He also warned that the problem is part of a broader national trend. Referencing the 2017 congressional baseball shooting, and attempts to assassinate former President Donald Trump, Van Orden said America is teetering on the edge of normalized political violence.
“This apparently has turned into a combat tour, and I’m okay with that,” the former Navy Seal said. “But people need to be very, very cautious when throwing these things out. Some people need to learn… by reading the headlines of people going to the Gray Bar Hotel wearing orange jumpsuits.”
Van Orden said he believes the federal government must aggressively prosecute these kinds of threats and “start throwing people in prison for doing this” to deter future incidents.
“We cannot have civil discourse. We cannot govern. We cannot have a functioning society if we’re worried about people scratching swastikas into our cars, lighting them on fire, or threatening people’s families.”
Despite the danger, Van Orden made it clear he is undeterred. “You will not intimidate me,” he repeated. “I’m going back to work for the people of the Third Congressional District of Wisconsin… and my family will be protected, first and foremost.”
As of Tuesday, the FBI has not issued a public statement on the case. Van Orden has not released further details about the suspect or the contents of the threat. It remains unclear whether any arrests have been made.
Van Orden, a first-term Republican representing a politically competitive district, is seeking re-election in one of the most closely watched House races of 2025. Whether the incident will shift the political landscape—or harden partisan divisions—remains to be seen.
Dan O’Donnell’s show airs from 3-6 pm on WISN in Milwaukee, 1310 WIBA in Madison, on iHeartRadio and streams on YouTube.
Previously on Dairyland Sentinel
