‘I don’t mind that so much’: Donald Trump divulges his violent fantasy against journalists
Former President Donald Trump made a violent comment against journalists in his rally at Lititz, Pennsylvania.
During the rally, Trump ranted about automated voting and incited conspiracies about possible election fraud. Finally, Trump directed his grievances against journalists who were covering the rally. “I have this piece of glass over here, but all we have over here is the fake news,” he said while gesturing at members of the press through his protective glass barrier.
“To get to me, someone will have to shoot through the fake news. And I don’t mind that so much.” His supporters laughed and cheered Trump on as he made these “joking” yet brutal remarks. Trump’s National Campaign Secretary merely dismissed the comment, saying, “Obviously, he was joking.” Reporters online have raised concerns against Trump’s violent rhetoric against journalists. Jeff Sharlet, who’s a journalist for multiple publications, claimed on Twitter that Trump wasn’t just joking—it’s fascism on display.
A history of threatening the press
These jokes should be taken as warnings from Trump. He accused CBS of trying to “mislead the public and attempt to tip the scales” in Kamala Harris’ favor over a 60 Minutes interview. This didn’t just end in another rant—Trump sued CBS. It’s not just the lawsuit that’s particularly damaging. Rather, this is Trump’s attempt to discredit the media for platforming his opponent.
Trump has often accused the media of reporting “fake news” when the criticism is directed at him during his term as president. During his term, CNN’s New York offices received pipe bombs. Female journalists were particularly targeted by Trump’s sexist rhetoric during his presidency. His vitriol against the press isn’t without consequence. The way he brashly spoke against media outlets that often reported criticisms against him normalized disrespect and attacks against journalists.
Another Trump term is a risk to the freedom of the press to report and criticize. Trump’s allies notoriously haven’t stopped calling the media names in an attempt to belittle critical and honest reporting. If it’s not his allies who deliver the blow to a free press, Trump might do it himself. Recently, he threatened to revoke the broadcasting licenses of both CBS and ABC—both outlets have corrected him for his egregious claims.
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