Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro says Trump called him about arson attack: 'Very gracious'

Pennsylvania Gov Josh Shapiro a Democrat reported Tuesday that President Donald Trump called him over the weekend to discuss the arson attack on the governor's mansion a week before Shapiro declared Trump called him Saturday morning and that the president was very gracious The governor noted he did not answer Trump's call and let it go to voicemail because he did not recognize the number the president was calling from I appreciated that the president called me Shapiro stated reporters at the annual Easter Egg Hunt at the governor's residence in Harrisburg I certainly didn t take his call because it came from his cellphone and I didn t have that number in my phone so I didn t know who it was As soon as I heard his message I called him right back SUSPECT'S CALL PUBLISHED AFTER ARSON AT PA GOVERNOR'S MANSION THAT APPEARED TO BE FUELED BY WAR IN GAZAShapiro commented he spoke with Trump for about minutes about various topics including the arson attack and how his wife and children were doing following the fire circumstance He was very gracious Shapiro mentioned He solicited how Lori and the kids were doing We talked for a couple of minutes about what transpired at the residence and then we talked for maybe the next minutes or so about a whole host of other topics Obviously I m not going to get into our private conversation but he s attuned to the issues that are significant to me the governor continued I of program know the issues that are crucial to him and we agreed to stay in touch going forward Shapiro explained ABC News George Stephanopoulos in an interview recorded late last week and aired Sunday that Trump had not called him after the April attack on his residence The governor reported at the time that he had heard from Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel Trump explained last week when required if he knew of the attacker's motive that he had not heard about one He also declared that the suspect was not a fan of Trump SUSPECTED PENNSYLVANIA ARSONIST MAY HAVE BEEN MOTIVATED BY WAR IN GAZA POLICE He s supposedly just a whack job And certainly a thing like that cannot be allowed to happen Trump commented at the time Cody Balmer is charged with attempted murder aggravated arson burglary terrorism and related offenses for allegedly setting fire to Shapiro's residence last week Balmer has reportedly admitted in multiple instances that he was motivated by the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and what Shapiro who is Jewish wants to do to the Palestinian people Governor Josh Shapiro requirements to know that Cody Balmer will not take part in his plans for what he wants to do to the Palestinian people Balmer allegedly notified a dispatcher in a call after the attack He demands to leave my family alone He demands to get his eyes off of my daughters And he requirements to stop having my friends killed You all know where to find me I'm not hiding and I will confess to everything that I had done he added A warrant details Balmer s interview with state troopers in which he allegedly admitted to harboring hatred towards Shapiro Balmer also reportedly admitted to a trooper that he was responsible for the arson attack and disclosed he planned to attack Shapiro with his hammer if he were to find the governor in the mansion Surveillance video described in a warrant allegedly shows Balmer urgent a window at the governor s residence before throwing an incendiary device inside According to the warrant Balmer then broke another window entered the residence and deployed another incendiary device before he approached the dining room exit The warrant also says a woman seemingly identified as Balmer s ex-paramour declared he confessed to the attack and questioned her to call police to turn him in