Sen. Elizabeth Warren sympathises with Luigi Mangione, says ‘people can only be pushed so far’

Sen. Elizabeth Warren has been a staunch critic of the US healthcare system and advocated for a Medicare for All-style program.

Published on: Dec 12, 2024, 07:20:22 IST

By Sumanti Sen

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Sen. Elizabeth Warren sympathised with Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old suspect in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, saying “people can only be pushed so far.” Mangione, an Ivy League graduate, may have been motivated to kill Thompson as a result of his grievances about UnitedHealthcare and other health insurance companies.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren sympathises with Luigi Mangione (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File, REUTERS/Matthew Hatcher TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

‘People can only be pushed so far’

“The visceral response from people across the country who feel cheated, ripped off, and threatened by the vile practices of their insurance companies should be a warning to everyone in the healthcare system,” Warren (D-Mass.) told the Huffington Post.

“Violence is never the answer, but people can only be pushed so far,” the Massachusetts senator added.

Warren said in a subsequent statement, “Violence is never the answer. Period. I should have been much clearer that there is never a justification for murder.”

Investigators believe Mangione may have had a grudge against the healthcare industry. An X-ray photo on his X account suggested this, as did the fact that he had books involving chronic back pain on his Goodreads account reading list, sources told New York Post. After his arrest, Mangione got the support of several netizens who empathised with him. Even former Washington Post media journalist Taylor Lorenz reportedly took “joy” in the killing.

“This is a warning that if you push people hard enough, they lose faith in the ability of their government to make change, lose faith in the ability of the people who are providing the health care to make change, and start to take matters into their own hands in ways that will ultimately be a threat to everyone,” Warren said.

Warren has been a staunch critic of the US healthcare system and advocated for a Medicare for All-style program. She notably championed this during her failed 2020 Democratic presidential primary bid.

Mangione is accused of shooting Thompson dead on a sidewalk in Midtown last week. He was arrested after a manhunt and charged with murder.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.