Campaign

Former Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale hospitalized after threatening self-harm: report

by Brooke Seipel - 09/27/20 9:00 PM ET

Former Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale has reportedly been hospitalized after a tense exchange with police in which he was armed, barricaded himself in his home and threatened to harm himself, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports.

Authorities told the Sun-Sentinel that Parscale’s wife called police saying he was at their Fort Lauderdale, Fla., home with guns and threatening to harm himself.

Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Karen Dietrich told the Sun-Sentinel the encounter at Parscale’s home was short and authorities were able to obtain help for Parscale.

He was taken to a hospital under the Baker Act, which allows authorities to detain someone who may be a threat to themselves or others.

“Brad Parscale is a member of our family and we all love him. We are ready to support him and his family in any way possible,” Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said in a statement. “The disgusting, personal attacks from Democrats and disgruntled RINOs [Republicans in name only] have gone too far, and they should be ashamed of themselves for what they’ve done to this man and his family.”

The Trump campaign announced in July that Bill Stepien would replace Parscale as manager of the Trump campaign. Parscale was behind the campaign’s digital strategy ahead of the president’s insurgent 2016 win but had not worked as a campaign manager prior to the 2020 race.

He remains in a role overseeing the Trump campaign’s digital strategy and serves as an adviser.

Updated at 9:31 p.m.