A registered nurse in California is facing criticism for social media posts that appeared to express a wish for the deaths of President Donald Trump and the late Sen. Lindsey Graham.
The posts, originating from an Instagram account identified as belonging to Robert Acuna-Bagshaw, a nurse at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center since 2016, were circulated online. One Instagram story reportedly showed a collage of images of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, President Trump, and Graham. Beneath McConnell's image was a skull emoji and the text "Pull the plug." Trump's image had a countdown beneath it, and Graham's image featured a tombstone graphic with "R.I.P."
Blue text at the bottom of the story read, "If all 3 of these f—ers die this week, I might become religious again." An orange cross graphic was also visible near the top of the story.
Senator Graham, 71, died on Saturday. An autopsy suggested his death was caused by aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. A statement from Graham's office indicated the death certificate was pending final toxicological and microscopic testing.
Senator McConnell had recently been hospitalized for nearly a month following a fall. He stated on Sunday that doctors confirmed he did not suffer broken bones, a concussion, heart attack, stroke, tumors, or hemorrhages.
In a subsequent Instagram story on Monday, Acuna-Bagshaw addressed the backlash, writing that individuals identified as "MAGA morons" were sending him death threats, contacting his employer, and attempting to find his address. He suggested that their online activity was being tracked and that they would all be suspects if any threats were carried out.
Acuna-Bagshaw also stated that he had friends in specialized positions to handle such situations. He criticized those attacking him for his profession and making assumptions about his character, adding, "They’re exactly what’s wrong with this world. Attacking and insinuating about people they know nothing about."
Fox News Digital reported that it reached out to Long Beach Medical Center, Acuna-Bagshaw, McConnell's office, and the White House for comment but had not received immediate responses.