A Southwest Airlines flight attendant drew widespread condemnation after posting on social media that the airline needed "better assassins" to target President Trump. The remark came minutes after a gunman breached security at the White House Correspondents' Dinner last week.

Michele Carpino, who has worked for Southwest for 10 years, wrote on her Facebook page: "Oh please sweet baby Jesus, WE NEED BETTER ASSASSIN’S!" The post referred to Cole Allen, the California man who stormed a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton on the evening of April 25, 2026, during the annual black-tie event. Allen opened fire near the screening area and expressed intent to kill Trump administration officials, including the president, according to federal charges. Secret Service agents neutralized the threat, and Trump was evacuated without injury.

Carpino's comment quickly went viral after being shared by Libs of TikTok, prompting calls for her dismissal. Social media users expressed safety concerns about flying with her. One wrote on X: "Southwest, I will cancel my CCs, I will cancel all upcoming trips. I will NOT fly your airline with people like this being responsible for us in the air." Another added: "Sure wouldn’t feel comfortable with her taking care of myself or my family."

Her Facebook page contained a history of anti-Trump rhetoric. In July 2024, days after an assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, she posted: "One day we will wake up to his obituary." She also used the phrase "86 47," a coded reference to discarding Trump as the 47th president, similar to a post by former FBI Director James Comey that led to his indictment. Carpino called MAGA supporters "hillbilly ISIS" and posted "F*** ICE" multiple times. The posts were deleted but preserved in screenshots.

Southwest Airlines acknowledged the posts in a statement to the New York Post. "Southwest is aware of these posts, and we are addressing the situation," a spokesperson said. "While we don’t comment on personnel matters, this content does not reflect our values, and we take it seriously." Carpino could not be reached for comment.

The WHCD incident marked the third reported attempt on Trump's life since his return to the White House. Allen faces federal charges, including attempting to assassinate the president, which carry a potential life sentence. Newly released surveillance video showed him sprinting past a checkpoint before being stopped.

Public reaction intensified scrutiny on airlines' handling of employee social media activity. Past cases, such as Southwest firing a flight attendant over anti-abortion views, highlight tensions around workplace speech policies. No further updates on disciplinary action against Carpino were available as of Saturday evening.