Cancer Survivor Honored by Trump Now Sworn-In as State Trooper by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders

The 13-year-old boy who caught the nation's attention during President Donald Trump's Joint Address to Congress earlier this month is continuing on his extraordinary journey of becoming a member of as many law enforcement agencies across the country as he can. 

Recently, Devarjaye "DJ" Daniel traveled to Arkansas where Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders swore him in as a state trooper.

"We had the best day too DJ!! Being an Arkansas State Trooper looks good on you," she wrote on X. 

We had the best day too DJ!! Being an Arkansas State Trooper looks good on you! pic.twitter.com/M6VOWDtGrB

— Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) March 19, 2025

The young boy was also named an honorary chief of the Arkansas State Capitol Police.

"In Arkansas, we love our law enforcement. During President Trump's address to Congress, DJ Daniel's powerful story touched our hearts," said Arkansas Secretary of State Cole Jester. "I was honored to invite him to Little Rock to become honorary Chief of the State Capitol Police. Thank you for inspiring us!"

DJ's story of overcoming the odds is touching thousands across the nation.

As CBN News reported, DJ was only given six months to live after being diagnosed with a rare form of brain and spine cancer in 2018, but he was determined to live out his dream of becoming a police officer. 

"I know the doctors are kind of confused as to how he is able to be there and still be around, considering he's terminally ill, but it's your spirit and your gas tank, it's your fuel, you just have to stay positive and everything, this is what keeps him around," DJ's dad, Theodis Daniel, said.

So far, DJ has been sworn in by more than 900 law enforcement agencies nationwide.

DJ and his dad have successfully spread that message of perseverance and loving your neighbor while raising awareness for childhood cancer. 

On March 4, President Donald Trump recognized DJ's strength and determination before members of the House and Senate.

"DJ and his dad have been on a quest to make his dream come true, and DJ has been sworn in as an honorary law enforcement officer, actually, a number of times," Trump said. "The police love him. The police departments love him." 

"And tonight, DJ, we're going to do you the biggest honor of them all.  I am asking our new Secret Service Director Sean Curran to officially make you an agent of the United States Secret Service," he continued. 

DJ later told CBN News the moment was unexpected and left him in awe.  

"I was not expecting that, for him to give me an actual badge for Secret Service. I'm not going to lie. My face dropped all the way to the ground," he said. 

But the moment was short-lived. As CBN News first reported, the 13-year-old child and his family became the targets of online attacks with numerous anti-Trump critics calling the boy's recognition a "political stunt," along with disturbing phone calls targeted at his family.

A YouTube user named CharlieTuna said, "He's the freak in the circus show Trump turned his speech into."

Maverick X also alleged on the video platform, "DJ DANIEL is not some kid. he is selected by them he is an actor." Then, he took the time to dig up a picture of a younger child who appeared to be DJ making a rock-and-roll symbol with his fingers. Maverick X then accused the little boy of "making the devil horns."

TahitianTreatt wrote on social media, "symbolic nonsense... all of this is just meant to boost the self-esteem of low self-esteem having white folks. via making them believe they SAVED SOMEONE BLACK. ---- hey White America, Black America doesn't NEED you. i mean, you all can barely help yourselves at this point....thats why you all are slowly gettin outnumbered by immigrants lol." 

On top of that, the young cancer patient's father has received threatening calls. 

"We started getting calls, people calling to attack my son, calling him names. It's like these people don't care what he's been through. They don't care that he's fighting for his life."

Theodis adds that the online attacks have been the worst.

"The things they say about him, the things they write—it's painful. But the part that really gets to me? It's that these people have no idea what he's been through. They don't care that he's had 12 brain surgeries. He's not some political pawn. He's a 13-year-old kid trying to survive. And they're bullying him like this?" 

One caller even offered to pay the family to step out of the spotlight. 

"I got a call, an offer to make all of this go away," Theodis told CBN News. "They thought they could pay us off to step back, to let this die down. But you know what? That's not why we're doing this. We're not in this for money or publicity. We're here because this is about my son's life and what he's been through. Money can't fix that."

The negativity pales in comparison to the numerous law enforcement officials applauding the young boy's tenacity and the hundreds of others encouraging him in his journey to become a police officer. 

"After I reach 1,000, I'm just going to keep going," DJ said. "Like I always say, I'm going to keep on going until my gas tank runs out. If you got cancer, don't give up on life. All you got to do is pray, believe in God, and just keep that negative energy out of your mind."

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