Chris Cuomo, the journalist and former anchor at CNN, disclosed on his NewsNation show that he reached out to Donald Trump following a second attempt on the former President’s life. Cuomo expressed his dismay at the media’s response to the incident, labeling it as “unacceptable.”
Cuomo, who had a long tenure at CNN before leaving in 2021, criticized both the media and political figures for their lackluster reaction to what he believes should incite alarm. He highlighted an incident that occurred on Sunday at Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, where an individual aimed an AK-47-style rifle at Trump through a fence. The Secret Service intervened, firing at the assailant who then escaped, though was later apprehended. Throughout this ordeal, Trump was unharmed.
Cuomo questioned the media’s tepid response, asking, “‘Oh but the guy didn’t even shoot.’ What if it was your father? Or what if it was Kamala Harris or President Biden, God forbid?” He argued that if the roles were reversed, the reaction would likely be more pronounced, rather than a mere discussion on the Secret Service and budget allocations.
Furthermore, Cuomo criticized the lack of genuine concern from the current administration and the silence from Democratic figures. He shared that he contacted Trump not to interrogate him about his political actions, but to inquire about his family’s well-being amidst the threats. “I wanted to just say, listen, I’m really sorry that this is going on and it’s being dealt with this way,” Cuomo stated, emphasizing that despite his frequent criticisms of Trump, he believes no one deserves to be subjected to such threats.
Cuomo also addressed the mockery directed at Melania Trump for expressing fear over assassination attempts against her husband, specifically calling out Don Lemon’s dismissive reaction to her concerns. He argued that while one might disagree with her perspective, mocking her fears is unjustified.
In his commentary, Cuomo also sought to temper the exaggerated political discourse surrounding key figures, asserting that neither Trump nor Vice President Kamala Harris fit the extreme labels often ascribed to them. He concluded by reflecting on his decision to reach out to Trump, underscoring his disappointment with the current state of political and media engagement with threats to public figures. “We are playing a dangerous game with ourselves, and we’re doing it for petty stakes,” Cuomo remarked.
