The former President of the United States, Donald Trump, has been accused by several liberal and corporate media outlets of contributing to the "violent rhetoric" that allegedly incited an assassination attempt against him.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) identified Thomas Matthew Crooks as the suspect who reportedly fired at Trump during a rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania. The incident resulted in the death of Corey Comperatore, a former volunteer fire chief, and left two others seriously injured. These media outlets have suggested that Trump's past remarks, including his use of the term "bloodbath," may have played a role in provoking the assassination attempt.
According to the Daily Caller, ABC News hosts George Stephanopoulos and Martha Raddatz argued that Trump's past comments, such as his use of the terms "bedlam" and "bloodbath," contributed to the "violent rhetoric" in the U.S., which they believe incited the assassination attempt. Stephanopoulos stated during Sunday's episode of "This Week" that "President Trump and his supporters have contributed to this violent rhetoric as well." Raddatz echoed this sentiment, citing several instances where Trump's words could be interpreted as inciting violence.
Trump, however, has consistently argued that his "bloodbath" comment in March was in reference to potential job losses in the auto industry if he did not win the upcoming election. He used the term "bedlam" following legal arguments before an appeals court regarding his claims of immunity in the Jan. 6 case brought by special counsel Jack Smith. His lawyers also used the term in cases centered on efforts to disqualify him off the ballot using the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution.
David Frum of "The Atlantic" also pointed a finger at Trump, accusing the former president of inciting violence. In an article posted Sunday, Frum wrote, "Now the bloodshed that Trump has done so much to incite against others has touched him as well." He added that political violence has been a part of American political history, and that remains true to the present day.
Frum further alleged that Trump supporters brought weapons to "intimidate opponents" during the 2016 and 2020 elections. Trump survived an assassination attempt in June 2016 during a Las Vegas rally when a 20-year-old man tried to seize a police officers gun to shoot the then-presumptive GOP nominee.
In "New York" magazine, columnist Jonathan Chait seemed to suggest that Trump's rhetoric contributed to the erosion of a non-violent norm in American politics. He wrote, "Trump stokes and feeds upon a lust for violence. He possesses a demagogues skill for manipulating his supporters most elemental emotions."
David Remnick of the New Yorker echoed similar sentiments, accusing Trump of arousing the "lowest passions" of his followers. He wrote, "Trump has, to say the least, done little to calm or to unify the country he once led and is campaigning to lead again."
Former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan, on his social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, lamented calls for toning down rhetoric in the aftermath of the assassination attempt. He claimed, "There is no Democratic/liberal equivalent to the nonstop incitement of violence from Trump, MTG, Gaetz, Gosar, Kari Lake, and others."
Hasan also criticized Trump for promoting violence in an article on his news site, Zeteo. He asked, "Does Trump have blood on his hands? Are we really going to play this (political) game?
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