Former Marine running for Congress calls Trump the Antichrist

The U.S. Marine Corps on Wednesday publicly rebuked a Florida congressional candidate for his social media statement saying President Donald Trump “must be killed.”

Former Marine William Upham posted a lengthy video statement while in uniform explaining the reason he decided to run for office. Upham, running under the motto “For God and Country,” described America as broken and said he has no doubt in his mind that Trump is the Antichrist, a figure who opposes Christ who is referenced in the New Testament.

What else did he say about Trump? “He is a false Messiah, and he is your enemy, and he must be killed,” Upham said. He explained his reasoning: Trump posting an AI-generated image of himself as Jesus Christ, and has also criticized the Pope. Those who disagree must consider whether their judgment is clouded by ideology or if they are worshipping a false idol, he said. Upham also insisted that the book of Revelation was now unfolding, with America fulfilling the role of Babylon.

The Marines condemned the candidate’s statements, noting that Upham was medically discharged in May 2025. Upham’s comments opposed the service’s values and directly violated the oath he swore to uphold, according to the Wednesday statement.

Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao also described Upham’s statement as unacceptable, noting that Upham was not a Marine and did not represent the Corps.

The Florida Division of Elections currently lists Upham as a qualified write-in candidate for the District 5 election in northeastern Florida against incumbent GOP Rep. John Rutherford.

Upham’s video was still accessible as of Wednesday evening and had nearly 1,000 comments, with many calling for his arrest and court martial. The video had amassed over 140 likes and over 340,000 views.