Mainstream media outlets have claimed that Donald Trump contributed to the “violent rhetoric” that led to his assassination attempt.
According to ABC News hosts George Stephanopoulos and Martha Raddatz, Trump’s previous comments, such as “bloodbath,” could have incited violence.
“President Trump and his supporters have contributed to this violent rhetoric as well,” Stephanopoulos claimed.
“Absolutely, George, we were just looking back this morning to some of the things that former President Trump has said,” Raddatz responded.
Trump “warned last March of potential death and destruction if he were charged by the Manhattan District Attorney: ‘Our country is being destroyed as they tell us to be peaceful,’” she said.
“Trump in January warned of bedlam in the country if the criminal charges against him succeeded. And of course, in March, he said, ‘If I don’t get elected, it’s a bloodbath for the whole, and that is the least of it, and it’s going to be a bloodbath for the country. That will be the least of it.’ He said he was partly joking and that that was taken out of context, but those are, indeed, his words.”
Trump’s “bloodbath” comment was said in the context of the auto industry jobs that he declared would be lost if he lost the upcoming presidential election.
Media outlets also condemned Trump, shouting, “Fight, fight, fight!” following the attempt on his life.
CNN correspondent Jamie Gangel said, “There was one thing when I watched the tape that I found odd because of all the heated rhetoric. And that is that after he was hit, former President Trump got up and said ‘Fight, fight, fight.'”
“That’s not the message that we want to be sending right now,” she added. We want to tamp it down.”
Donald Trump Jr. condemned CNN’s report, calling it “vile.”
“Someone attempted to assassinate my father tonight and this is what CNN is focused on,” he wrote on X. “These people are vile.”
CBS News similarly criticized Trump for failing to urge Americans to “lower the temperature” of political rhetoric and suggested the “fight” comments were a call to “retaliate.”
“This was a traumatic moment no doubt for him, but I did notice there was no call for lowering the temperature, condemning all political violence, and really trying to signal to his supporters as well not to retaliate or to have any kind of escalation here,” CBS News anchor Margaret Brennan said.
Mainstream media outlets downplayed the assassination attempt on Trump, instead claiming there were “loud noises” at the rally.
CNN originally ran a headline claiming Trump fell during the rally and The Washington Post ran a story saying Trump was “rushed off stage” after “loud noises” were heard.
MSNBC also downplayed the event, saying there were “loud popping noises.”
