Vem Miller, a 49-year-old man arrested near former President Donald Trump’s rally in Coachella, California, has come forward to clear his name. Miller, a self-identified staunch Trump supporter, was taken into custody after Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies discovered firearms in his vehicle during a routine checkpoint stop. He has fiercely denied any intent to harm Trump, calling the media coverage surrounding his arrest nothing more than “fake news.”
The arrest took place as Miller approached the rally, where deputies found a shotgun, handgun, and high-capacity magazine in his truck. Authorities also initially claimed that Miller possessed counterfeit VIP and press passes for the event. While these discoveries raised concerns about potential threats to Trump’s safety, Miller maintains that the entire incident has been exaggerated and misrepresented.
Miller, who was released on $5,000 bail, now faces misdemeanor charges for possessing illegal firearms in California. Despite the legal complications, he insists he was merely exercising his Second Amendment rights and that all his weapons were legally purchased and registered. He argues that the real issue stemmed from California’s strict gun laws, which are far more prohibitive than those in his home state of Nevada, where such an incident would not have raised any alarms.
After Miller’s arrest, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco was quick to comment on the situation, telling media outlets that deputies might have thwarted what could have been a third assassination attempt on Donald Trump. In a text message to The Epoch Times, Bianco reportedly stated, “We arrested a man trying to get in the perimeter with two firearms who ended up saying he was going to kill the president.”
However, these claims were soon walked back, as Bianco later suggested he couldn’t recall making such statements. Despite the retraction, the narrative of a potential assassination attempt had already taken root, leading to widespread media speculation.
Miller, in a statement released through the outlet America Happens, condemned the reports as politically motivated and sensationalized. He expressed disbelief at how quickly the story escalated, especially given his transparency with law enforcement at the time of his arrest.
Miller recounts the event quite differently. According to him, the situation unfolded after he voluntarily disclosed the presence of firearms in his vehicle to law enforcement. In a state like Nevada, where he had attended numerous Trump rallies without issue, Miller said it was common practice for him to inform authorities about his legally owned weapons.
“When I approached the rally checkpoint, I informed the officer that I had two lawful firearms in my truck, both purchased and registered legally,” Miller explained. “It’s something I always do out of courtesy, to avoid any misunderstanding. But instead of treating it as a routine matter, they immediately pulled me over.”
Miller went on to describe how the officers then treated him with suspicion. Another officer came to his window, and Miller, sensing the tension, braced himself for what would come next. Before he knew it, he was handcuffed, placed in the back of a sweltering police car, and denied access to water and medical supplements he needed to manage his health conditions. Miller, who suffers from blood sugar issues, explained that the heat and lack of hydration began to take a toll on his body.
“I was left in the back of the police car for an hour. My heart started racing, and I could barely breathe. I was hitting the door with my feet because my hands were cuffed. Eventually, they came over, but even then, they refused to give me my water,” Miller said. “They were under the insane assumption that I was some kind of threat, refusing me what I needed.”
One of the more damaging allegations against Miller was that he had counterfeit VIP and press passes for the Trump rally. Authorities initially claimed this raised suspicions about his intentions. However, Miller firmly denies this accusation, asserting that he had legitimate special entry passes issued by the Republican Party of Nevada.
“That’s complete nonsense,” Miller said. “I can prove that I was invited to the event and had real entry passes sent to me by officials within the Republican Party of Nevada. I was an actual invitee. But when I pulled up to the checkpoint, the officer immediately started questioning me, and it all spiraled from there.”
Miller acknowledges that his “critical mistake” was forgetting that he was in California, a state notorious for its strict gun laws. “In Nevada, this wouldn’t have even been an issue,” he said, “but California is a different beast. I just didn’t realize how different the rules were.”
Vem Miller’s Instagram account revealed he was at the RNC Convention and attended other pro-Trump events with RFK Jr. and James O’Keefe.
During Trump’s first assassination attempt, Miller posted on his Instagram account, ” I am willing to fight non stop with everything I have for the next 4 years to help this country and this man. We need to break the DS.”
Miller believes that the treatment he received, and the media frenzy surrounding his arrest, are part of a broader effort to vilify Trump supporters and conservative voices. “They ransacked my car, brought in bomb-sniffing dogs, and checked every inch of the vehicle, even going through the mufflers. It was clear they were looking for anything they could use to justify this overreaction.”
Despite the lack of evidence to support the initial claims of a potential assassination attempt, the media ran with the story, according to Miller. “They’re always looking for ways to paint Trump supporters as extremists,” he said. “This was just another opportunity for them to push that narrative, and I happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Since his release, Miller has remained vocal about what he calls the injustice of the situation. He believes his arrest was blown out of proportion and that the authorities acted in bad faith. In his statement, he thanked his supporters for standing by him and vowed to fight the charges against him.
“Probably the reason God put me in that situation was to expose what’s really going on,” Miller said. “This isn’t just about me; it’s about how they treat conservatives in this country. They’re trying to silence us, but I won’t let them.”
As Miller prepares for his legal battle, the case continues to highlight the deep political divisions in the country. Whether the charges will stick or the media narrative will shift remains to be seen, but for now, Miller remains defiant, determined to clear his name and speak out against what he sees as a politically motivated smear campaign.
I believe Miller not the California nazi cops and media