From Red Carpet to Fistfight: Florida Congressman Claims He Was Punched at Sundance Film Festival After Attacker Yelled 'Trump Will Deport You'
Florida Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost said he was racially harassed and assaulted while attending a private party.
Jan. 25 2026, Published 11:30 a.m. ET
Florida Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost said he was racially harassed and physically assaulted while attending a party during the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, according to police and media reports.
The incident occurred on Friday, January 23, when Frost, 29, attended the talent agency CAA's Sundance Film Festival Celebration at High West Saloon in Park City, RadarOnline.com can report.
The Assault
The alleged incident occurred during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
Frost detailed the encounter in an Instagram post the following day, saying the attack was politically and racially motivated.
"Last night, I was assaulted by a man at Sundance Festival who told me that Trump was going to deport me before he punched me in the face," Frost wrote on Instagram on January 24. "He was heard screaming racist remarks as he drunkenly ran off. The individual was arrested and I am okay."
"Thank you to the venue security and Park City PD for assistance on this incident," Frost concluded.
The Park City Police Department confirmed that a suspect, identified as Christian Young, assaulted Frost and another woman at the private event, according to CNN. Authorities said Young unlawfully entered the party after initially being turned away.
Racially Charged
Frost said a man told him “Trump was going to deport me” before punching him in the face.
A source at CAA told Variety that the racially charged confrontation occurred inside a restroom at the High West Saloon. The source alleged that Young declared he was proud to be "white" before punching Frost as he exited the bathroom.
Young was arrested and charged with aggravated burglary and simple assault, CNN reported.
Frost included a screenshot of the Variety report in his Instagram post and said he was not seriously injured. The congressman, who represents Florida's 10th Congressional District, has not released further details about the extent of his injuries.
The Sundance Film Festival
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Young was arrested and charged with aggravated burglary and simple assault.
The Sundance Film Festival issued a statement condemning the alleged attack, noting that the incident occurred at an event not officially affiliated with the festival.
"We strongly condemn last night's assault and abhor any form of violence, harassment, and hate speech. While the incident occurred at a non-Festival-affiliated event, such behavior is intolerable and against our values of upholding a welcoming and inspiring environment for all our attendees," the statement read.
"The safety and security of our festival attendees is always our chief concern, and our thoughts are with Congressman Frost and his continued well-being. We encourage anyone with additional information on this matter to contact the PCP," the statement concluded.
Police have not released further information about a possible court date for Young. The investigation remains ongoing.
