Pastor’s Shocking Line Over Trump Assassination Ignites Firestorm

Congregants clapping inside a church with a glowing cross — Photo: ChameleonsEye / Shutterstock

A Texas pastor told his congregation that some in their own church wished President Trump’s would-be assassin had “been more successful,” and the line drew public backlash and political fallout.

Story Snapshot

A sermon clip shows Rev. Jim Rigby saying some church members wished the Trump shooter had “been more successful.”
Reports identify Rigby and place the remark the day after discussion of the attempt, drawing laughter in the room.
Rigby later said his sermon made clear that “violence is not the answer.”
Senate candidate James Talarico condemned political violence in a separate statement that week.

The Sermon Remark That Sparked Outrage

Video posted online captures Rev. Jim Rigby of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin saying, “We still have people in this church that wish that the young man had not just nicked his ear, but been more successful.” The clip was published on September 8, 2026, and centers on that single line from a sermon. The wording is clear on the recording and became the focus of rapid online sharing and commentary. The clip is short and does not present the full sermon.

Local and national outlets identified Rigby and tied the remark to a sermon delivered after public discussion of the latest assassination attempt on President Trump. Reporting said the congregation reacted with light laughter, which fueled claims that the topic was treated too casually for a church setting. The framing raised alarms across the political spectrum that lines against political violence are blurring inside trusted institutions. This coverage amplified the clip’s reach far beyond Austin.

Rigby’s Defense and Calls for Context

Rigby pushed back on critics by saying his sermon also stated that “violence is not the answer.” He accused Senator John Cornyn of editing his words to mislead voters, arguing that the full message rejected harm. That defense underscores a common pattern in modern media fights: short quotes get lifted, and context becomes a weapon both sides claim. The lack of an official full transcript from the church left room for competing readings of tone and intent.

The available public record does not show Rigby endorsing assassination or wishing the President dead in his own voice. The evidence shows a provocative line that referenced alleged views within the church, plus his stated rejection of violence. Without full video or a transcript from the church, key details remain unsettled. Those gaps matter because the meaning of a sermon often depends on what comes before and after a single sentence. The debate now turns on clip length and audience reaction.

Where This Leaves James Talarico

Democratic United States Senate candidate James Talarico identifies St. Andrew’s as his home church in other contexts, which let opponents tie him to the uproar. Yet his own statement after a separate Trump-related shooting condemned political violence in every form. That contrast complicates guilt by association and shows how easy it is for church politics to splash onto campaigns. The record does not place Talarico in the room during Rigby’s sermon or show him supporting the remark.

Talarico Pastor: ‘People in This Church’ Wish Would-Be Trump Assassin ‘Had Been More Successful’ https://t.co/asCu9NGaxo

— Joni Myers (@JoniMyers18) September 9, 2026

Both right and left see something broken here. Conservatives see a church laughing at a threat to the President. Liberals see a quote stripped of fuller context and used to smear a candidate. Many Americans see a deeper failure: leaders and institutions playing to their base instead of setting firm lines against violence. Research on quote selection shows that outlets highlight different lines for their audiences, which can shape what people believe was said at all.

What To Watch Next

First, look for the church to release the full, unedited sermon and a transcript. That record could confirm whether Rigby clearly condemned violence and how the remark fit into the message. Second, watch whether campaigns use the clip in ads or fundraising. That would signal the story is locked into culture-war mode. Third, track whether clergy and civic groups restate a shared red line: no joking, excusing, or normalizing political violence, no matter who is targeted.