Brewery Owner’s Assassination Comment Sparks FBI Raid

A man in a suit holding an FBI identification card while making a shushing gesture

A Wisconsin brewery owner who publicly cheered an assassination attempt on President Trump — joking that a “Resistance” member needed to work on their “marksmanship” — ended up face-to-face with the FBI and Secret Service, and then tried to turn the whole thing into a publicity stunt.

Story Snapshot

Minocqua Brewing Company owner Kirk Bangstad posted that an anti-Trump “Resistance” member needed better “marksmanship” after a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was treated as an assassination attempt on President Trump.
The post referenced the brewery’s earlier “#freebeerday” promotion, which Bangstad had previously tied to Trump’s death — a pattern of inflammatory, violence-adjacent content targeting the president.
FBI and Secret Service conducted a voluntary interview with Bangstad and his lawyer; he livestreamed agents arriving at his brewery and confirmed he had no intent to harm the president.
The investigation remains ongoing, no charges have been announced, and the controversial post stayed up — while the brewery faces national backlash and potential economic fallout.

The Post That Crossed a Line

Shortly after a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner — which authorities treated as an assassination attempt against President Trump — Bangstad posted on the Minocqua Brewing Company’s Facebook page: “Well, we almost got #freebeerday. Either a brother or sister in the Resistance needs to work on their marksmanship or he faked another assassination to get a positive news cycle.” The post left little to the imagination: either celebrate that someone tried to kill the president, or accuse him of staging it.

The backlash was immediate and notably bipartisan. Americans across the political spectrum condemned the post as deeply inappropriate, with many calling it an outright endorsement of political violence against a sitting president. Rather than delete the post or issue a genuine apology, Bangstad left it up — a decision that only amplified the controversy and accelerated federal scrutiny of his comments.

A Pattern of Death-Linked Promotions

This was not Bangstad’s first brush with inflammatory anti-Trump content. In January, the brewery’s social media ran a promotion offering free beer tied explicitly to Trump’s death — referencing him as a “twice-impeached convicted felon” and his “impending death.” That earlier post established a clear pattern: using the brewery’s platform to celebrate or anticipate the president’s death as a marketing tool. Bangstad also founded a progressive political action committee, blending his business identity with hard-left activism.

Bangstad was also convicted this month of disorderly conduct, adding to a picture of a man whose public conduct has repeatedly drawn legal and community scrutiny. His record suggests the White House Correspondents’ Dinner post was not an isolated lapse in judgment but part of a deliberate strategy to provoke controversy and generate attention for his brand and his PAC.

FBI and Secret Service Come Calling

By Thursday evening, Bangstad announced that he and his lawyer were preparing to meet with FBI and Secret Service agents “in less than an hour.” Rather than handle the matter quietly, he chose to livestream the encounter — filming agents at his brewery as they asked whether he intended to “kill, kidnap, or inflict bodily harm” on the president or vice president. Bangstad answered “No, I do not,” and added that he was “of sound mind and body” and had no thoughts of self-harm.

The FBI and Secret Service issued a joint statement after the voluntary interview: “The U.S. Secret Service follows up on perceived threats against the president… The FBI and Secret Service together followed up on information received and conducted further investigative steps, which included a voluntary interview with the individual. This is an ongoing matter and we do not have further comment.” No charges were announced, but the investigation remains open. Turning a federal threat inquiry into a livestream event reflects either a stunning lack of seriousness about the gravity of the situation — or a calculated bid for more attention.

Real Consequences for a Small Town

While Bangstad plays activist and livestreamer, the Minocqua community in Wisconsin’s Northwoods bears the real costs. The brewery is a local landmark, and national controversy of this magnitude threatens revenue, local employment, and the town’s reputation. Customers are divided along political lines, and a boycott movement has gained traction. What Bangstad frames as political courage looks, to many residents, like reckless self-promotion at the expense of neighbors who depend on the business he runs.