Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) is recovering from injuries after an alleged physical attack at the Capitol on Tuesday evening, prompting an arrest and assault charge against the suspect. According to Capitol Police, James McIntyre, 33, of Illinois, was arrested shortly after the incident, which occurred around 6 p.m. in the Rayburn House Office Building.
A Congressional staffer reported the altercation, and House Division officers, along with agents from the Threat Assessment Section, quickly tracked down the suspect. McIntyre was taken into custody, questioned, and charged with assaulting a government official.
The incident took place during an event hosted by the Foster Youth Caucus, where Mace, a co-chair of the group, had been speaking. Following the attack, Mace shared details on X, formerly Twitter, stating that she had been “physically accosted at the Capitol tonight by a pro-tr*ns man.” She assured her followers that she would recover, despite needing a brace on her wrist.
“One new brace for my wrist and some ice for my arm and it’ll heal just fine. The Capitol police arrested the guy. Your trns violence and threats on my life will only make me double down. FAFO,” Mace wrote, using a profane acronym commonly understood to mean “f** around and find out.” Responding to a commenter, Mace added that she was in “death goddess form,” underscoring her defiance in the aftermath of the attack.
Mace’s comments and recent actions have put her at the center of a contentious national conversation about transgender rights. Her rhetoric marks a significant departure from her earlier stance on the issue. Just last year, Mace described herself as “pro-transgender rights” and expressed support for children exploring their identities.
However, in recent months, she has adopted a far more combative tone. Following the election of Sarah McBride (D-DE), the first openly transgender person elected to Congress, Mace proposed a resolution to ban transgender women from using women’s restrooms in the Capitol.
In public comments, Mace has used inflammatory language, referring to transgender individuals as “mentally ill” and saying: “I’m not going to stand for a man, you know, someone with a penis, in the women’s locker room.”
Capitol Police have not disclosed further details about the suspect’s motivations or what led to the alleged assault. Mace’s response, however, signals her intention to remain unwavering in her position despite the incident.