'I'd rather my house not get firebombed': GOP lawmakers panic about crossing Trump

GOP lawmakers in one key state are feeling the pressure as they oppose Donald Trump on an important plan, with one anonymous legislator saying he's worried about his house being "firebombed" if he doesn't advance Trump's goals.

In a recent article called "The Fear Taking Hold Among Indiana Republicans," the Atlantic reported on the Republicans who are facing a wave of attacks and "swatting" attempts as they reject Trump's plan for redistricting their state.

"On Monday I spoke with a Republican member of Indiana’s legislature who opposes President Donald Trump’s push for the state to redraw its congressional map to gain two GOP seats and help the party hold its House majority in next year’s midterm elections. Trump, with support from Indiana’s Republican governor, Mike Braun, has vowed to back primary challengers against members of the GOP who are, for now, blocking the redistricting plan," according to the new report. "The lawmaker I spoke with asked that I not publish his name. He isn’t worried about Trump’s political wrath; he doesn’t plan to run for reelection. His fear of speaking out is much more personal: 'I'd rather my house not get firebombed.'"

Going even further, the piece elaborates on what the actual risks are.

"Such a worry is not as far-fetched as it might sound—not in an America that has seen an eruption of political violence over the past few years, and not in Indiana over the past few weeks. Republicans in the state have faced a wave of 'swatting' incidents, in which a false call to emergency services draws a police response, for not endorsing the redistricting plan," the outlet states. "Indiana lawmakers have reported other apparent attempts at intimidation, including at least one bomb threat, as well as subtler forms of harassment."

According to the Atlantic's reporting, some of the threats have gone under the radar.

"Not all of them have been made public. Earlier this month, the Republican I interviewed was returning home from an evening walk and saw a Domino’s Pizza car parked out front. The delivery was under his name, with his home address, but he had not ordered it. The phone number that was given to the delivery driver was not his. The confirmation that no one in his family ordered it came when he asked the driver what was on the pizza: sausage and pepperoni. 'We don’t eat meat,' he told me with a laugh, 'so none of us ordered that pizza.' When the lawmaker later called the number affiliated with the order, it went to the state police in Indianapolis," the article states, adding, "Hoax pizza deliveries have been a favored tactic of MAGA supporters who have tried to enforce loyalty to Trump and his agenda."

The Tennessee Holler flagged the news on social media, writing, "Per The Atlantic, An Indiana Republican isn’t running for re-election because 'I’d rather my house not get firebombed' - because Trump is mad he opposed his seat-stealing redistricting plan there."

Read the full piece here (paid subscription required).

Per The Atlantic, An Indiana Republican isn’t running for re-election because “I’d rather my house not get firebombed” - because Trump is mad he opposed his seat-stealing redistricting plan there. https://t.co/0yX0X7J0zM
— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) November 27, 2025