WSU staffers accused of assaulting student over Trump hat were fired
Apr 25, 2025, 9:00 AM

Bodycam footage of Patrick Mahoney being arrested at WSU. (Photo courtesy of the Pullman Police Department)
(Photo courtesy of the Pullman Police Department)
Washington State University (WSU) fired two staff members, an instructor and a PhD student, after they allegedly assaulted an engineering student in a Donald Trump hat.
Patrick M. Mahoney, a 34-year-old graduate student and instructor, was 鈥渞elieved of all teaching responsibilities” following the alleged assault, according to a statement to聽The Seattle Times. Mahoney admitted to police that he grabbed student Jay Sani’s Trump hat. After Sani appeared to defend himself, police said WSU staff member Gerald Hoff, 24, joined his friend Mahoney in taking Sani down to the ground.
鈥淗e essentially grabbed my head, crushed my head on the concrete, that reminded me of some of the posts; all these weapons people would make,鈥 Sani, in an exclusive interview with “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH, explained of Mahoney. 鈥淪ome of these posts, they would say, 鈥楥rush the head of the opposition.鈥 And actually, what they would really say was, 鈥楥rush the head of the fascist.鈥 And when he did that, it gave me that flashback of those propaganda posts I would see. And I was like, 鈥極h my god,鈥 this is serious.鈥
WSU terminates two staffers over alleged assault
Both Mahoney and Hoff have been charged with misdemeanor fourth-degree assault.
鈥淲hile WSU remains committed to the freedom of speech and expression for all members of our university community, we will not tolerate acts of violence or hate speech,鈥 Phil Weiler, WSU vice president of marketing and communications, wrote to The Seattle Times.
While Mahoney was relieved of his instructor position, he is still enrolled as a student.
Mahoney told police what happened
An investigating officer with Pullman Police said he contacted Mahoney and asked him what had happened.
Mahoney referred to Sani as 鈥渙l鈥 boy,鈥 according to the officer. The police report stated that Mahoney admitted to grabbing the hat and throwing it in the street, telling the officer, 鈥淵ou know, you鈥檙e f**king wearing that hat, you wanted someone to f**king look at it, right?鈥
鈥淚 asked Mahoney what happened tonight. Mahoney said that he saw 鈥榦l鈥 boy鈥 walking around. Mahoney did not name Sani by name but said 鈥業鈥檝e seen this guy, f**king, on campus before. I know he鈥檚 like f**king Right Wing dude. He鈥檚 got a f**king, like, Make America Great Again
丑补迟.’鈥
Mahoney told police that Sani responded with a 鈥渂ody check鈥 or 鈥済rab,鈥 and that鈥檚 when he took Sani to the ground, before he 鈥減unched Sani and specified that the punch was to Sani鈥檚 jaw.鈥

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