The father who went viral on Christmas Eve for getting Joe Biden to say 'Let's go Brandon' said he used the public call with the president to 'voice my disapproval' of the administration.
Jared Schmeck, 35, did an interview with former Trump aide Steve Bannon on Monday to explain the exchange and his intentions behind using the phrase that has become synonymous with 'F**k Joe Biden.'
'For me, 'Let's Go Brandon – and I've said it in other articles – I am a Christian man,' Schmeck said during Bannon's War Room podcast on Monday. 'For me, it's God first and foremost. I don't follow any one man blindly.'
The comment was meant to clear up previous explanations when Schmeck said he was ‘not a Trumper.’
The Oregon-based father of four, donning a red Make America Great Again hat, went on to say that Trump is 'my president' and repeated the former president's claims that the 2020 presidential election was 'stolen'.
'Some of the media has run with that and said I don't support Donald Trump,' the former police officer said. 'That's absolutely false.'
'Donald Trump is my president and he should still be president right now. The election was 100 per cent stolen. So, I just want to make that clear,' he added.
Schmeck made headlines over the holiday when he was able to get through on a telephone call with President Biden and first lady Jill Biden as the first couple appeared for a NORAD Santa Tracker event.
After Schmeck's kids told the president what they want for Christmas from Santa Claus, the father then said to Biden: 'Merry Christmas and Let's Go Brandon.'
Reporters in the room said that Biden seemed unfazed.
'Let's Go Brandon, I agree,' the president said in response.
Jared Schmeck, a 35-year-old father of four who got Joe Biden to say 'Let's go Brandon,' backtracked on saying he is 'not a Trumper', claiming on Monday that Trump is 'my president'
Schmeck joined Steven Bannon for his podcast to clear the air on his call with Biden where he also said the 2020 election was 'stolen'
The former police officer and electric company worker from Oregon said that he 'meant no disrespect' even though he filmed the exchange from his side and posted it to social media
Schmeck works with several family members at Winema Electric, a company that says that 'Christian values' are part of the 'Winema Way'
The immediate response to Schmeck has led to speculation that Biden is so out of touch that he is unaware of the phrase used for several months by the right to protest his presidency.
Amid backlash for the comments, Schmeck claimed he was joking with Biden and insisted he is 'not a Trumper.'
The explanation Monday goes back on Schmeck's previous deflection after the moment went viral where he said he 'meant no disrespect', is 'not a Trumper' but is a 'free-thinker and follower of Jesus Christ.'
Schmeck said that the fallout from the comments has made him feel 'threatened' for his 'freedom of speech.'
'At the end of the day, I have nothing against Mr. Biden, but I am frustrated because I think he can be doing a better job,' Schmeck told the Oregonian.
Schmeck works at Winema Electric with several other family members. The company's homepage says it's 'grounded in Christian values.' He used to be a police officer, but he refused to tell the newspaper why he resigned in July 2018.
The Oregon man recorded his end of the conversation and posted it to his YouTube channel soon after the phone call ended. It has already gotten more than 110,000 views.
Jared Schmeck, 35, beaming in from Oregon, said 'Merry Christmas' and 'Let's Go Brandon' - code on the right for 'f**k Joe Biden' - after his kids told the president what they wanted from Santa Claus
Reporters in the room for the NORAD Santa-tracking event and call said that Biden seemed unfazed. 'Let's Go Brandon, I agree,' the president said in response
The first couple hosted kids and their parents in the South Court Auditorium and talked to people virtually Friday.
Schmeck, beaming in from Oregon, said 'Merry Christmas' and 'Let's Go Brandon' after his kids told the president what they wanted from Santa Claus.
Reporters in the room said that Biden seemed unfazed. 'Let's Go Brandon, I agree,' the president said in response.
The Oregon father said he calls into the NORAD tracker every year and wasn't aware that the call was going to be livestreamed.
'I thought it would be automated. We just waited on hold and then they answered,' he said. 'And I thought, 'Wow, this is real.''
Schmeck said that it was a 'joke,' but also an expression of his frustration with the president's policies, including vaccine mandates, inflation and supply chain issues.
He adds that, in addition to social media uproar, he's gotten 'vague but threatening' phone calls since the exchange with the president.
'And now I am being attacked for utilizing my freedom of speech,' Schmeck said. 'I understand there is a vulgar meaning to 'Lets go Brandon,' but I'm not that simple minded, no matter how I feel about him.'
'He seems likes he's a cordial guy. There's no animosity or anything like that. It was merely just an innocent jest to also express my God-given right to express my frustrations in a joking manner... I love him just like I love any other brother or sister.'
He added that he stands behind what he said 100 percent.
The viral nature of the incident appears to have had a negative effect on the Yelp page of his family's Winema Electric company.
Reviewers have left multiple reviews slamming the company, making reference to Jared's conversation with President Biden.
One wrote: 'What kind of company would employ Jared? Even if he is son of the owner, he should be fired immediately. Would never let these people near any electricity.'
'This company employs Jared Schmeck,' commented another. 'A man-boy who used to be a police officer but now works for his mom. Jared is a disrespectful and vulgar father.'
Once commenter responded back with an attempt to defend Winema: 'Seems funny how the negative comments just suddenly appeared after one of the employees gave America a fantastic Christmas Eve gift,' they wrote. 'No doubt that pestilent cancel crowd acting out again.'
'My aunt in Portland used this company to install some lighting fixtures in her home,' they added on the five-star review. 'She boasted of how great the workers were and what an excellent job they did.'
The clip of the exchange got immediate reaction online, with conservative blogger Erick Erickson commenting: 'Confession: I find it in poor taste to tell the President of the United States 'Let's go Brandon' when the man just wanted to wish you Merry Christmas. Good manners should still matter.'
The first lady's spokeman Michael LaRosa answered 'Yep.' to Erickson's tweet.
'I think the let's go Brandon stuff is harmless and funny, but if you tell someone to go f**k themselves when they are being nice to your kid, you're just a d**k. Merry Christmas!' said Tommy Vietor, a former aide to President Barack Obama.
Earlier, the president made a surprise visit to Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C. Friday, alongside First Lady Jill Biden - marking the first time a president has accompanied the first lady on the traditional holiday trip.
First ladies have been reading stories to the hospital's patients at Christmastime since First Lady Bess Truman held the position.
The first couple also stopped by a Christmas tree on 17th Street N.W. in D.C. in front of the restaurant Floriana, which was decorated with pictures of the Bidens, including a Jill Biden tree-topper.
Dr. Biden chose to read the book Olaf's Night Before Christmas, starring the popular Frozen character. Before the reading, the Bidens spoke to both patients and parents.
'You're bringing us some joy,' the president said.
He told one boy 'my grandson loves laser tag' and told a patient named Beau that he had a son and a grandson by that name as the children made lanterns.
'Thank you to all the nurses and docs who are here to make them feel better,' the first lady told the medical staff.
Earlier this week, the Bidens introduced a new member of the family - a German Shepherd puppy named Commander, which was given as a gift to the president by his brother.
The pup was spotted by reporters with a handler Friday morning on the South Lawn as they prepared to leave for the Bidens' hospital visit. Commander was seen getting a belly rub and playing fetch.
The president told the kids about Commander's debut during the visit, ratting out the dog for chewing on his slipper this morning.
'He's 15 weeks old,' the president said, showing one child a photo of the dog on his cell phone.
Biden said they'd maybe bring the dog to the hospital in the summer.
When the first lady got to reading, she had one of the patients join her to finish the end of the book.
The president remarked that the first couple spent a lot of time at the Philadelphia children's hospital when their granddaughter was admitted.
He then asked the kids how many of them wanted to be doctors when they grew up.
Schmeck, seen here in his former role as a police officer. According to Schmeck's LinkedIn page, he spent six years on the force. He would not respond when asked why he resigned in 2018
Schmeck said Biden 'seems likes he's a cordial guy. There's no animosity or anything like that. It was merely just an innocent jest to also express my God-given right to express my frustrations in a joking manner... I love him just like I love any other brother or sister.'
Winema Electric, the Schmeck family's electric company, has had its Yelp page hijacked after the viral incident
Winema Electric is based out of Klamath Falls, Oregon. 'We are an experienced electrical contracting company that has worked in the Klamath Basin and surrounding areas for over 40 years'
The first lady's spokesman Michael LaRosa answered 'Yep.' after conservative blogger Erick Erickson said the 'Let's Go Brandon' utterance was in 'poor taste,' as the internet swifly reacted to the dad's dig
'I think the let's go Brandon stuff is harmless and funny, but if you tell someone to go f**k themselves when they are being nice to your kid, you're just a d**k. Merry Christmas!' said Tommy Vietor, a former aide to President Barack Obama
While two hands shot up, other children said they wanted to be a chef, a police officer, an aerospace engineer, an author and a biomedical engineer.
'We've never had a president come with the first lady on Christmas Eve,' the hospital administrator remarked.
Former President Barack Obama visited the D.C.-based institution over the holidays in December 2018, after he had left office.
The trip marks the third trip Dr. Biden has made to the hospital since becoming first lady in January, the White House said.
Afterward, the Bidens took the presidential motorcade to 17th Street D.C. - the gay main street of the Dupont Circle neighborhood - where they briefly stopped to look at the Biden-themed tree in front of the Italian eatery Floriana.
Most of the ornaments were large pictures of Jill Biden, though there were also some ornaments featuring the president in his trademark aviators. The tree is also decorated in apples, likely a nod to the first lady's career as a school teacher.
In recent years, the restaurant has dedicted the tree to powerful female political figures, including Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Both Harris and Pelosi visited their respective trees.
The president hung the official White House ornament on the large outdoor tree.
'Keep the faith,' he told the pool of reporters following him when asked if he had a Christmas Eve message for Americans.
Upon their return, the president commented to the pool about the spring-like weather.
'It's more like Easter than Christmas with the weather,' he said.
In D.C., it's 53 degrees.
The Bidens are spending Christmas at the White House and are giving up their New Year's tradition of sun and St. Croix for the chill of Delaware this year.
The president's decision to stay local comes as the newest wave of COVID cases, caused by the highly transmissible omicron variant, has caused long lines at COVID-19 testing centers and caused major airlines to cancel flights due to staffing shortages.
The White House has taken heat for the country being ill-prepared for the testing crush.
Both United and Delta canceled more than 100 flights on Christmas Eve, blaming omicron and bad weather.
The decision to spend Christmas at the White House was unexpected from a president who heads home to Delaware for the weekend as often as possible.
Instead, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, he'll spend some time between Christmas and New Year's in Delaware.
The president will also eschew his family tradition of traveling to the U.S. Virgin Islands for the New Year's holiday, a trip he's made with his family nearly every year since 2008.
His brother James owns property on Water Island, and Biden often has spent the week there or on St. Croix.
During his first year in office, he's spent more than 25 weekends at his Wilmington home or his Rehoboth Beach house, where it's easier for friends and family to stop by and for the Bidens to enjoy bike rides or outings to the beach.
Biden has suggested he's uncomfortable with the trappings of life in the White House, at one point saying living there was like being in a 'gilded cage.'
Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff are spending the holiday in California.
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