John Hinckley Jr., the man who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981, has recently shared insights about his state of mind at the time of the attack. In a forthcoming interview on The Mark Joseph Show, Hinckley, now aged 71, reflected on his actions, suggesting that he could have targeted actress Jodie Foster instead of the president he shot.
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Hinckley’s assassination attempt occurred on March 30, 1981, outside the Washington Hilton. The incident left President Reagan with severe injuries, including a punctured lung and a broken rib, and also wounded three others, among them White House press secretary James Brady, who later succumbed to injuries related to the shooting in 2014. Hinckley has stated that his motivation for the attack stemmed from an obsession with Foster, sparked by her performance in the film “Taxi Driver,” which he had seen when she was just 18 years old.
In the preview of his upcoming appearance on the podcast, Hinckley offered a surprising message to Foster, expressing good wishes for her life and career. “I just wish Jodie well, and I hope she has a good life,” he said, although he admitted that he no longer follows her work in the film industry. This message seems to reveal a degree of reflection and remorse from Hinckley, who was found not guilty by reason of mental illness after the attack.
During the interview with Mark Joseph, Hinckley elaborated on his misguided notion that he and Foster could have a life together, which he described as “delusional.” He recounted how, at the time, he genuinely believed that she would eventually connect with him, regardless of whether he landed in jail or a psychiatric facility. “I thought she would, you know, after things settled down, join me wherever I was,” he revealed.
Joseph, who has produced a biopic about Reagan, probed Hinckley about whether he had ever contemplated the potential consequences of his actions. Hinckley admitted that, back in 1981, he perceived his actions as leading to an eventual union with Foster, stating, “The best outcome would have been a union with Jodie Foster… in this life.”
In an alarming admission, Hinckley also acknowledged that Foster could have been a target herself. When asked if she could have been in harm’s way, he responded affirmatively, saying, “Right, yeah. She definitely could have been a target. It’s just, fate went the other way.” This comment highlights the randomness of his violent act, as he explained that it ultimately was Reagan who became the victim of his misguided intentions.
The repercussions of Hinckley’s actions have lingered for decades. Foster, now 63, has rarely spoken publicly about the incident. During a recent conversation with Jodie Comer, she touched upon how the trauma surrounding the assassination attempt has impacted her life and career choices, revealing that she is unlikely to return to live theatre because of the lasting effect of the event.
Foster candidly reflected on the emotional aftermath of the incident in her interview with Comer, stating, “I’m finally able to admit that the one bit of theatre I did when I was in college, there was so much trauma involved in it.” She explained that her performance coincided with the time surrounding Hinckley’s assassination attempt, underscoring how significant and life-altering that moment was for her.
As John Hinckley Jr. prepares to share more of his reflections in the complete podcast interview, which will be available on August 12, his remarks open up discussions about the nature of obsession, mental illness, and the far-reaching consequences of violent actions driven by delusional beliefs.
The public continues to grapple with the implications of Hinckley’s actions and the impact that they had not only on the lives of the victims but also on the psyche of a generation. As his insights reveal a complex inner world filled with regret and misguided aspirations, they serve as a reminder of the importance of mental health awareness in preventing similar tragedies in the future.