A Missouri man, Sai Varshith Kandula, confessed on Monday to intentionally crashing a rented truck into metal barriers encircling the White House in May 2023. In his admission, he disclosed that his actions were driven by a belief in the ideology of Nazi Germany and a desire to topple the U.S. government.
Kandula, a 20-year-old Indian citizen, pleaded guilty to damaging federal property, a charge that could lead to a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.
According to prosecutors from the U.S. Department of Justice, Kandula confessed during the investigation that his ultimate goal was to replace the existing democratic government with a dictatorship inspired by Nazi principles, with himself at the helm of the United States.
During the incident, Kandula was found carrying a Nazi flag, further underscoring his ideological motivations. He also admitted to authorities that he was prepared to resort to violence, including arranging for the assassination of the U.S. president and others, to achieve his objectives.
Court documents revealed that Kandula was diagnosed with schizophrenia subsequent to his arrest, raising questions about his mental state at the time of the offense. As an Indian citizen, he faces the possibility of deportation once his prison term concludes.
The sentencing, scheduled for August, will determine the extent of Kandula’s punishment for his role in the federal property damage and his broader attempt to subvert the democratic order in the United States.
