(NewsNation) — As Luigi Mangione returned to court this week, the alleged killer continues to garner support from several people who claim he’s a hero for taking out one of the people responsible for our disastrous healthcare system.
Jillian Michaels, a fitness trainer and television personality, attributes Mangione’s cult-like following to a “referendum” on how Americans feel about the topic.
“The corruption is just next level, Michaels told “Batya!.” “The long story short is … you can see why people, who are not mentally well, but nevertheless, would argue that this guy is kind of a hero because they feel he brought justice that’s never served.”
Mangione is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024. Thompson, 50, was shot from behind as he walked to an investor conference. He became UnitedHealthcare’s CEO in 2021 and had worked within parent UnitedHealth Group Inc. for 20 years.
Michaels points out that Thompson “wasn’t a good guy,” and at the time of his murder, UnitedHealthcare had been under investigation by the Justice Department. The insurance company allegedly was consolidating power by buying up doctors’ practices and inflating billing for Medicare.
“It’s absolutely wrong with Luigi Mangione did to Brian Thompson,” Michaels added. “But I wonder if some good can come out of this by allowing some of this darkness in the system to come to light.”
When asked about fixing the healthcare system, Michaels acknowledged the need for “personal agency.”
“I think it’s the only true effective rebellion,” she said. “We do have to take this into our own hands.”