Sundance Shocker: Democrat Rep. Frost Attacked, Trump Threats Fuel Assault

Paul Riverbank, 1/25/2026Rep. Frost assaulted at Sundance; incident highlights rising political tensions and hate-driven attacks.

Inside, the mood had tilted somewhere between jubilant and buzzy, guests angling for cocktails or the right connection, when a commotion flared at the edge of the event. A man—identity still withheld by authorities—had apparently hopped a fence after being denied entry. He didn’t exactly blend into the crowd. Instead, as several witnesses later recounted, he made a beeline for Frost and a companion, launching into a rant laced with racial overtones: “We are going to deport you and your kind,” he hissed, more or less unprovoked, according to police.

What happened next was sudden but not, in today’s climate, entirely random. Frost, who is known for both his poise and his sharp elbows on the debate stage, shoved the man away after being pulled close. Instead of backing down, the intruder hurled a racial slur and swung, landing a punch to the congressman’s face—a literal flashpoint amid the festivities. According to several partygoers, the suspect didn’t stick around. He tore through the crowd, yelling, before security managed to corner and restrain him. Police from Park City were on the scene soon after; by morning, the individual was sitting in jail, held on suspicion of assaulting a public official, aggravated burglary, and possibly facing hate crime charges, depending on where the investigation leads.

It wasn’t just Frost caught in the crossfire. A woman seated at the bar told officers the same man had accosted her minutes earlier, gripping her shoulders, letting loose similarly toxic threats: “You are the kind we are going to deport.” The festival itself had already seen its share of drama—just not like this.

As for Frost, the Florida representative didn’t waste time bringing the incident to light. “Last night, I was assaulted by a man at Sundance Festival who told me that Trump was going to deport me before he punched me in the face,” he shared Saturday on social media, capping the account with a word of thanks for security and a reminder to his supporters that “we are in scary times.” Frost, notably the first Afro-Latino to represent Florida in Congress, made clear he was uninjured and resolute—“Onwards,” he wrote, a word not just for himself, perhaps, but for anyone paying attention.

Response was swift across the political spectrum. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries took to the web: “I am horrified by the attack...appalled that this terrifying assault took place. The perpetrator must be aggressively prosecuted.” Others echoed a version of the same, calling for solidarity against hate, wherever it surfaces.

Representatives from the Sundance Film Festival, scrambling to distance themselves, put out a statement condemning “any form of violence, harassment, and hate speech,” clarifying the party wasn’t an official festival event, but that the episode went against every value they claim to stand for.

The episode is already being dissected—not just as a personal affront to an elected official, but as another sign that in today’s tense political air, even settings built for celebration aren’t immune to ugly outbursts. Security remains top of mind for event organizers, especially when the high-profile crowd is as diverse and outspoken as the one gathered in Park City last week.

For now, prosecutors will sort out the charges, weighing whether the man’s words and actions fit the legal definition of a hate crime—a question with echoes far beyond one snowy night in Utah. Rep. Frost, meanwhile, is back to his congressional grind, more conscious than ever of what it means to represent, and be seen, in 2024 America. Whether this will stand as a warning or merely a taste of things to come remains up in the air—a question for courts and, perhaps, for the next festival guest list.

For Rep. Maxwell Frost, the Sundance Film Festival was supposed to be about art, conversation, maybe a bit of stargazing—not a punch to the face. Yet that’s what unfolded late Friday night at the High West Saloon, where a private party for movers and shakers took a jarring turn.Inside, the mood had tilted somewhere between jubilant and buzzy, guests angling for cocktails or the right connection, when a commotion flared at the edge of the event. A man—identity still withheld by authorities—had apparently hopped a fence after being denied entry. He didn’t exactly blend into the crowd. Instead, as several witnesses later recounted, he made a beeline for Frost and a companion, launching into a rant laced with racial overtones: “We are going to deport you and your kind,” he hissed, more or less unprovoked, according to police.What happened next was sudden but not, in today’s climate, entirely random. Frost, who is known for both his poise and his sharp elbows on the debate stage, shoved the man away after being pulled close. Instead of backing down, the intruder hurled a racial slur and swung, landing a punch to the congressman’s face—a literal flashpoint amid the festivities. According to several partygoers, the suspect didn’t stick around. He tore through the crowd, yelling, before security managed to corner and restrain him. Police from Park City were on the scene soon after; by morning, the individual was sitting in jail, held on suspicion of assaulting a public official, aggravated burglary, and possibly facing hate crime charges, depending on where the investigation leads.It wasn’t just Frost caught in the crossfire. A woman seated at the bar told officers the same man had accosted her minutes earlier, gripping her shoulders, letting loose similarly toxic threats: “You are the kind we are going to deport.” The festival itself had already seen its share of drama—just not like this.As for Frost, the Florida representative didn’t waste time bringing the incident to light. “Last night, I was assaulted by a man at Sundance Festival who told me that Trump was going to deport me before he punched me in the face,” he shared Saturday on social media, capping the account with a word of thanks for security and a reminder to his supporters that “we are in scary times.” Frost, notably the first Afro-Latino to represent Florida in Congress, made clear he was uninjured and resolute—“Onwards,” he wrote, a word not just for himself, perhaps, but for anyone paying attention.Response was swift across the political spectrum. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries took to the web: “I am horrified by the attack...appalled that this terrifying assault took place. The perpetrator must be aggressively prosecuted.” Others echoed a version of the same, calling for solidarity against hate, wherever it surfaces.Representatives from the Sundance Film Festival, scrambling to distance themselves, put out a statement condemning “any form of violence, harassment, and hate speech,” clarifying the party wasn’t an official festival event, but that the episode went against every value they claim to stand for.The episode is already being dissected—not just as a personal affront to an elected official, but as another sign that in today’s tense political air, even settings built for celebration aren’t immune to ugly outbursts. Security remains top of mind for event organizers, especially when the high-profile crowd is as diverse and outspoken as the one gathered in Park City last week.For now, prosecutors will sort out the charges, weighing whether the man’s words and actions fit the legal definition of a hate crime—a question with echoes far beyond one snowy night in Utah. Rep. Frost, meanwhile, is back to his congressional grind, more conscious than ever of what it means to represent, and be seen, in 2024 America. Whether this will stand as a warning or merely a taste of things to come remains up in the air—a question for courts and, perhaps, for the next festival guest list.