Trump Advises Pennsylvania Governor on Perilous Nature of Presidential Office

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro recently recalled a phone conversation with former President Donald Trump, who warned him about the inherent dangers of holding the nation’s highest office during an unexpected call last year.

Shapiro noted that Trump reached out approximately one week after his official residence was set on fire in early spring — just hours following his family’s Passover celebrations.

Initially dismissing the call due to an unfamiliar phone number, Shapiro later returned it to discover it was Trump himself. “I didn’t think he was going to answer that line,” Shapiro said. “I assumed it wasn’t really his number, and sure enough, he answered.”

During the conversation, Trump offered federal law enforcement assistance to help secure Shapiro’s mansion following the arson investigation. The suspect, Cody Balmer, 38, pleaded guilty and received a sentence of 25 to 50 years in prison.

Shapiro, who has not announced any presidential ambitions, stated that the discussion quickly shifted beyond the initial topic as Trump began discussing national politics and the upcoming 2028 election cycle.

When pressed on whether he might consider running for president, Shapiro firmly reassured Trump: “I’m not looking to run.”

Trump then emphasized the personal risks of the presidency, citing rising political violence and referencing the 2024 assassination attempt against him at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. “You know, being president’s a really dangerous job,” he said. “It’s very, very dangerous.”

Shapiro acknowledged the unexpected nature of the conversation but expressed appreciation for Trump’s outreach: “I appreciate the fact that he called.”