Politics

Sen. Joe Manchin squares up against climate activist before the agitator gets shoved out of the room

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) looked ready to brawl Friday after a climate activist called him a “sick f–k” during an event at Harvard University, video footage of the incident shows. 

“You sold our futures and you got rich doing it, you sick f–k,” the protester shouted just feet from where Manchin was sitting as he delivered a talk at the Ivy League school’s Institute of Politics. 

The remark didn’t sit well with the centrist senator, who immediately stood up and quickly made his way toward the activist. 

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) was confronted by a climate activist during an event at Harvard University. Climate Defiance/X

Manchin came within an arm’s length of the foul-mouthed agitator before a man stepped in between the two. 

The man, identified by The Post as Jonathan Kott, then violently shoved the protester out of the room. 

An activist group called Climate Defiance posted heavily edited footage on the incident on X, taking credit for organizing the disruption. 

Several more protesters locked arms behind Manchin’s seat and continued to disrupt the event after the shove, chanting, “Support our futures, not your profits.”

“Y’all want to sit down somewhere so we can talk?” the West Virginia Democrat asked the demonstrators.

To which one protester responded, “I’m not going to sit down. You’ve received more funding from fossil fuels than any other senator.”

Manchin’s remark didn’t sit well with the centrist senator, who immediately stood up and quickly made his way toward the activist.  Climate Defiance/X
The man, identified by The Post as Jonathan Kott, then violently shoved the protester out of the room.  Climate Defiance/X

“You’ve made millions out of your position. You drive a Maserati,” another protester chimed in. 

The first instigator appears to walk back into the room at one point to call Manchin a “coal baron” as the senator starts walking away from the commotion, according to the footage.

Manchin’s office did not respond to The Post’s request for comment. 

The senator announced last November that he would not seek re-election to the Senate in 2024.