Gov. Shapiro says Trump told him the presidency is ‘very, very dangerous’ during ‘strange conversation’ last year, criticizes the removal of slavery exhibits in Philly and RFK Jr.’s MAHA initiatives

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January 23rd, 2026 | By Ryan Genova

Governor Josh Shapiro of Abington Township was told by President Donald Trump that the presidency is “very, very dangerous” during a phone call in April 2025 following the arson attack of the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg, CBS News reported.

During a 2025 news conference in Pittsburgh a few days after receiving the phone call, Shapiro said Trump “asked how Lori and the kids were doing, and we talked for a couple minutes about what transpired at the residence, and then we talked for the next 15 minutes about a whole host of topics.”

After discussing the arson attack, Shapiro shared with CBS News that the conversation moved toward the 2028 election. Trump addressed the rise in political violence and referenced the 2024 assassination attempt against him during a campaign rally in Butler. 

“And he said, ‘You know, being president’s a really dangerous job.’ And he rattled off other jobs that have a lower fatality rate than presidents. And he said, ‘It’s very, very dangerous. Just be careful,” Shapiro told CBS News. “I said, ‘Mr. President, I’m not looking to run for president.’ And he said, ‘Well, I just wanted to share that with you.’ And so it was a strange conversation that bounced through a lot of different topics. But look, I appreciate the fact that he called.”

A segment of the interview is below:

Criticism of the removal of slavery exhibits in Philadelphia

On Thursday, Shapiro accused Trump of “whitewashing” history after workers from the National Park Service removed slavery exhibits near Philadelphia’s Independence Hall.

In March 2025, Trump signed an executive order targeting museum displays he deems “improper, divisive, or anti-American.” The order directs the Department of the Interior not to include “descriptions, depictions, or other content that inappropriately disparage Americans past or living (including persons living in colonial times).”

It instructs the department to “instead focus on the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people or, with respect to natural features, the beauty, abundance, and grandeur of the American landscape.”

From The Philadelphia Inquirer’s coverage:

In response, Shapiro posted on X.com:

Donald Trump will take any opportunity to rewrite and whitewash our history.

But he picked the wrong city — and he sure as hell picked the wrong Commonwealth.

We learn from our history in Pennsylvania, even when it’s painful.

Following the exhibits’ removal, the city of Philadelphia filed a lawsuit against the Interior Department, NBC News reported.

Criticism of RFK Jr.’s MAHA initiatives

In other matters, Shapiro released a statement in response to the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s arrival in Harrisburg on Wednesday.

Secretary Kennedy came to the State Capitol for his “Make America Healthy Again” rally. From Shapiro’s Facebook post:

RFK Jr. has made our country less healthy and less informed, and he’s spent his entire time as Secretary causing chaos and spreading misinformation.

Every step of the way, we’ve stood up to his efforts to endanger public health – protecting vaccine access and families’ freedom to make their own health care decisions.

RFK might be getting ready to talk at us once again today, but let’s be clear: we will protect your fundamental freedoms here in Pennsylvania.

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