Teen battling cancer who won hearts during Trump’s speech to Congress has warning for Democrats
The 13-year-old battling cancer who won hearts across the U.S. during President Trump’s speech to Congress met with the president and later had strong words for Democrats.
Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel, who was sworn in Tuesday night as the youngest ever U.S. Secret Service Agent, told Natalie Winters, the co-host of Steve Bannon’s “War Room” that “if you’re a Democrat and you’re being mean to President Trump, I’m on your bumper.”
DJ, who in 2024 was honored by more than 33 police agencies in Alabama, was diagnosed with terminal brain and spine cancer when he was just 6 years old.
Despite undergoing 13 surgeries, the Texas boy’s determination to become a police officer has never wavered. In 2019, he was first sworn in as an officer by the Brookshire Police Department in Texas.
When he was initially given five months to live, he set a goal of being sworn in by 100 police departments.
Since then, he has been sworn in by more than 871 police departments across the U.S. and beyond, including in Italy.
The precocious teen, known to be generous with his hugs, gave one Tuesday night to Secret Service Director Sean Curran when he presented DJ with an honorary badge.
In a video shared on X, Daniel could be seen standing next to Trump in the Oval Office before saying, “There’s one more thing I got for ya: a big hug.”
The president responds, “OK good, that’s very nice,” as they embrace.
When DJ visited Birmingham in October, he had learned earlier that week that he had three new tumors on his brain.
“It’s a heavy load to carry but you see he doesn’t care,’’ his father, Theodis Daniel, said. “So, we’re not going to worry. We’re going to keep on pushing.”
Daniel, who is raising his three sons as a single father, said DJ’s dream to become a police officer started when the family was displaced by Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and were staying in a shelter in Houston.
They stayed there for weeks, sleeping on the floor at times, and lost their home in the storm.
DJ and his two brothers ran around the shelter from sunrise until sunset, collecting water and granola bars like “squirrels getting ready for the wintertime.”
One day, three police officers brought the boys to Daniel and the father initially though they were in trouble. Police assured them they were not, and they just wanted to provide some pizza for the boys.
“At a moment in our lives when we just didn’t know what to do because the emotional trauma was so high and we had lost hope,’’ Daniel said.
“Something as small as three officers giving us pizza pretty much put it in the minds of Devarjay, and his brothers to be police officers.”
“You definitely inspire us, especially him,’’ Daniel, a veteran, told Alabama law enforcement officers in October. “I’m comfortable with someone in a uniform because I was in the military, and they’d make fun for me for always talking to police officers.”
“I told them that’s because I trust the uniform, and now they understand that,’’ he said.
“When he leaves in the morning to go to school, it’s no different than your families and loved ones looking at you in your uniform as you walk out the door and they’re praying that you come back in,’’ Daniel said. “I do that every day with him. He’s literally fighting for his life every day and he’s living like it’s his last day.”
DJ said he wants to keep traveling the world visiting police departments “until my gas tank runs out.”
“I’m pretty sure you know what that means. That’s when God calls you home,’’ DJ said. “Pray for kids that have brain cancer.”