At Trump's October 12, 2026 rally at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio, a rallygoer punched a woman protester in the face and pulled her hair after she stood up in a “Release the Epstein Files” shirt, Fox News and WFMJ reported. Police broke it up and escorted her out; video showed the man who struck her staying in the arena and exchanging high-fives with other attendees, Fox News reported. No one was arrested, WFMJ reported.
Trump, who Fox said appeared unaware the heckler was a woman, said from the stage, “He's a paid protester. They're all paid. They get paid by the lefties in order to destroy our country. They're scum,” and, “Look at him. Look at him. Terrible. Don't we love law enforcement? Oh, he's gotta go on a diet! He's a fat guy,” according to Fox News. Of the protester's parents he said, “he's going to get home and he's going to get smacked,” according to the Roll Call Factbase transcript. He offered no evidence that the protester was paid. Trump did not call for the violence and did not condemn it.
Youngstown Police Lt. Frank Rutherford said, “No one should be assaulted at an event,” and, “If you punch somebody in the face, you should get in trouble for that,” adding that police would investigate if she filed a report, HuffPost reported.
Youngstown Mayor Derrick McDowell said, “I condemn this senseless conduct unequivocally.” Mahoning County Sheriff Jerry Greene told NBC News that deputies did not see the beating and that the woman “did not claim to be assaulted, did not claim any injuries” and chose not to file a report, so no charges have been filed.