Arrested Las Vegas man denies involvement in Trump assassination attempt

The Las Vegas man arrested with a loaded gun at former President Trump’s Coachella, Calif., rally over the weekend said he is a supporter of the GOP presidential nominee.

Vem Miller, 49, released a video on the video streaming platform Rumble saying he wanted to set the record straight on what he said happened Saturday when he was arrested and accused of a third Trump assassination attempt.

He said he chose to release the video after receiving many calls about the local police’s “false and defamatory statements” about him.

Police arrested Miller for being “illegally in possession of a shotgun, a loaded handgun, and a high-capacity magazine.” Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said Sunday that another assassination attempt on Trump may have been stopped with the arrest of Miller.

Miller, who said he ran for office in 2022 in Nevada, was invited to Trump’s Coachella rally by the Nevada Republican Party. He traveled from Los Angeles, arrived at the rally and was told to enter a “special entrance.” He said he notified police officers “fully, transparently” that he had two guns in the trunk of his car.

Police said Miller’s car was in disarray with a fake license plate. They alleged he was holding multiple fake driver’s licenses and passports and multiple boxes of ammunition. Miller was able to get through one security checkpoint but not the second at the rally, CBS News reported.

Miller said he is one of the partners at America Happens Network, which is passionate about protecting constitutional rights, including freedom of the press, freedom of speech and the Second Amendment.

“While we are currently – and we have been for close to eight years – staunch supporters of President Donald Trump, we don’t align ourselves with any political party, except for one that supports our freedoms, our constitutional rights, our medical freedoms and gets rid of the tyranny of corrupt politicians that is plaguing our nation,” Miller said.

He said Trump has been “near and dear to our hearts” because he is one of the only politicians who stands up against that tyranny. Miller said he was once a supporter of former President Obama but had a “political awakening” and became a Trump supporter around 2015 or 2016.

“I would say that by 2018, I was all-in with Trump, what he was doing and the direction he was taking this country. That man inspired me to have the courage, and I think our former president, and hopefully future president, for being man enough to stand up and show what courage looks like,” Miller said.

Miller told Fox News Digital that he has never shot a gun in his life and is “beyond a novice,” but he travels with them in his truck for security.

“We thank law enforcement for securing the rally site and helping ensure the safety of President Trump,” Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement. “We are aware of news reports about the arrest and are currently monitoring the situation and gathering more information.”

Miller was released on a $5,000 bail, and no federal charges have been filed yet.

In a joint statement, the FBI, Secret Service and the U.S. attorney’s office said they were aware of the incident. The Secret Service determined that Trump was “not in any danger.”

“While no federal arrest has been made at this time, the investigation is ongoing,” the joint statement said. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Secret Service, and FBI extend their gratitude to the deputies and local partners who helped ensure the safety of last night’s events.”

Updated at 1:28 p.m. EDT