A caller from Oregon who tagged on "Let's go, Brandon" when ending his Christmas Eve phone chat with President Biden now says he's being attacked for what he claims was a joke.
The former police officer told The Oregonian that he was being attacked for using his freedom of speech.
After his call to Biden was live-streamed and reported in the media, Schmeck said he has been receiving vague but threatening phone calls.
"I don't think I'm that simple-minded, no matter how I feel about him," he told the news outlet.
During the Christmas Eve call, Dai told Bilbo to "let's go, Brandon".
Even though the phrase "Let's go, Brandon" has been used by the president's critics to mock him, Biden responded, "I agree", even though the call drew media attention.
Even though he believes Biden can be doing a better job, the father of four claimed he had no ill feelings toward the president.
"He seems like he's a nice guy," Schmeck said. There is no animosity or anything like that. It was just a joke and I have the right to express my frustration in a joking manner.
According to the paper, he "stood behind what I said and did."
I have nothing against Mr. Biden, but I am frustrated because I think he can be doing a better job, according to the same interview with The Oregonian. I mean no disrespect to him.
He told the newspaper that he was not a "Trumper" but a "free- thinking American and follower of Jesus Christ."
The call to the NORAD Santa tracker was livestreamed on Friday, but Schmeck and his family didn't know it.
According to The Oregonian, the first lady's voice on the other end said she would be accepting calls, but he assumed it was a recording of her.
Biden was interested to learn that one of the president's sons was named Hunter, the same name as the president's son.
The Bidens and the Schmecks talked about what the children wanted to receive for Christmas, with the Bidens saying they hoped for a quiet night.
"Lots of luck, dad," the president said, sparking laughter among the group.
As the call came to a close, Biden wished the Oregon family a Merry Christmas, and he was followed by a shout out from Schmeck. Brandon, Merry Christmas and let's go!
According to The Oregonian, the wife of Schmeck posted an IG message.
"My husband may or may not have just told joe and jil Biden to call Brandon," the message said, with two crying emojis.
The video of their conversation with the Bidens was posted on his YouTube channel with the caption, "We talked to President Joe Biden on Christmas Eve!"
It was not clear whether Schmeck had contacted law enforcement.
The man from Oregon said he quit the police force in the summer of 2018, but refused to discuss why. He is now employed by an electric company.
"Let's go, Brandon" began as an NBC Sports reporter's report about a crowd's chant at a NASCAR race won by Brandon Brown. The crowd was saying something bad about Joe Biden.
Brown told the Sports Business Journal that he had trouble getting corporate endorsement deals because of the phrase.
Brown wrote an op-ed in Newsweek last week, claiming he preferred to stay focused on auto racing.
