A 35-year-old California man identified as Philan-Tam-Duy Le was arrested near the U.S. Supreme Court after he parked a pickup truck carrying a wooden guillotine, according to Forbes, which cited U.S. Capitol Police.
The arrest and the charge
Forbes reports the guillotine was described as a “very large wooden-frame” device mounted on the truck bed. The outlet says Le was arrested on a count of carrying a dangerous weapon “for being in possession of the guillotine.”
Background under review
Capitol Police are examining Le’s background to determine why he traveled to Washington, D.C., and the suspect drove the truck from California, Forbes reported, citing the department.
A family member’s view
Le’s brother told local media the guillotine was likely a “symbol of disapproval,” adding that Le was unhappy with the state of politics and disliked both former President Donald Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to those local reports.
Threat climate context
Forbes also reported that the U.S. Secret Service has warned threats against protectees are “off the charts” and that the agency is operating in a “heightened level of threat environment right now.” The outlet said that last month, Secret Service Director Sean Curran noted the agency has opened more than 10,000 investigations into threats against protectees—a 40% increase compared with the same period in 2025—and that mental-health-related interventions are 10 times higher this year.
