Sai Varshith Kandula, 20, of Missouri, who attempted to drive a U-Haul truck into the White House, has entered a guilty plea that could get him up to 10 years imprisonment, though prosecutors have suggested eight. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 23.
Kandula smashed the truck he rented in Herndon, Va., into the north barriers of Lafayette Square outside the White House on May 22, 2023, leading to his felony charge of depredation of government property. He almost hit two bystanders.
Law enforcement discovered a swastika flag in Kandula’s backpack but no weapons. He reportedly said that he admired Adolf Hitler and the “great history” of the Nazi regime.
Kandula, a resident of St. Louis, said he crashed the truck because he sought to kill the president and take charge of the country. He declared that he “would hurt anyone that would stand in my way.”
His attorney, Scott Rosenblum, said that his client took medication for schizophrenia and that he planned to have a medical specialist speak in court during sentencing.
