The FBI has arrested a 17-year-old boy from McKinney, Texas, alleging that he was plotting an assassination against Rep. Keith Self (R-TX) on behalf of the Islamic State group.
Self told the Washington Examiner he was notified of the plot by Capitol Police, who had been in communication with the FBI concerning comments the suspect made. Self was later informed that he was the target of the attack set to take place on Oct. 17.
“I was in the military for 25 years, deployed several times, so, you know, I’m actually glad this happened to me and not one of my colleagues who has no experience like that because it tends to freak people out when you tell them that somebody’s trying to kill them,” Self said. “So, you know, it’s probably better to happen to me.”
Self posted on X expressing gratitude Wednesday to law enforcement and reaffirming his dedication to serving his constituents in Texas.
“I am grateful to the FBI and law enforcement for stopping this threat,” Self wrote. “My family and I are safe, and I remain focused on serving the people of Texas’ 3rd District.”
The teenager had been radicalized, and the attack is believed to have been motivated by ISIS, Self told the Washington Examiner.
Self is avidly against Islamic extremism and Sharia law. He is head of the Sharia-Free America Caucus alongside Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), which was launched by the two lawmakers in 2025. At the time, Roy and Self said the move was necessary to “counter the alarming rise of Sharia Law in the United States. Sharia is a dominating force that is not compatible with the U.S. Constitution,” according to a Dec. 18, 2025, press release. Self said “the American way of life is under siege by radicals from a culture waging war against our Constitution and Western values.”
Self told the Washington Examiner he believed his efforts to push back against Sharia law and Islamic extremism were the reason he was targeted. In McKinney, Texas, Self said a recall vote was underway on the city council after a unanimous vote in August approved a site plan for a local mosque.
“So you know, you have to believe with all of the media attention on that city council vote, and I spoke at the city council, and I’ve been vocal as, you say, with the Sharia-Free America caucus, so yes, you have to believe that made me the target,” he said.
In his recent social media post, Self said he will “not back down” against “radical Islam.”
“Preserving our constitutional republic from radical Islam means accepting the costs that come with it—name-calling, threats, and worse,” he said. “Our Founders believed this country was worth the sacrifice. I served 25 years in the military because defending freedom was worth the sacrifice. This only strengthens my resolve. I will not back down.”
While representatives receive threats all the time, Self told the Washington Examiner that assassination plots don’t happen often.
“That’s what made this different,” Self said. “There was an actual arrest with the FBI saying that it was an assassination attempt. So that is unusual, yes. So, my response was frankly that we’ve simply got to be more vigilant.”
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Self said his security team was prepared in case of any possible copycats, but has reaffirmed this plot didn’t shake his resolve.
“It will not deter me,” he said. “We will continue to work to defend the U.S. Constitution and our culture and this will not deter me in the least.”
The Washington Examiner reached out to the FBI for comment.