John Schneider investigated over President Biden threat

Dukes of Hazzard star John Schneider is facing a U.S. Secret Service probe after writing a social media post reported to suggest that President Joe Biden be "publicly hung".

The 63-year-old actor and singer, who recently appeared on the U.S. version of The Masked Singer, made the controversial comment in a since-deleted post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Mr President, I believe you are guilty of treason and should be publicly hung," Schneider wrote in response to a post from Biden suggesting former President Donald Trump posed a threat to democracy if re-elected next year. "Your son too. Your response is..? Sincerely, John Schneider."

The star has denied his words were meant as a threat to Biden but Secret Service officials told the New York Post they were looking into the matter.

"The Secret Service is aware of the comments made by Mr. Schneider, and as a matter of practice, we do not comment on matters involving protective intelligence," they said. "We can say, however, that the Secret Service investigates all threats related to our protectees."

Schneider, who played Beauregard 'Bo' Duke in the Dukes of Hazzard, has denied he meant to threaten the president with his words, telling the Post, "I suggest you re-read my actual post and pay attention to the words before believing this nonsense."

He added, "It's my position, which I am entitled to have, that some of our nation's leaders in Washington have lost their way, and corruption runs rampant, both on our nation's borders and abroad. Transparency and accountability must happen in order for our constitutional republic to survive. There is no threat implied or otherwise in that statement."