Casualties and National Reactions
Trump’s Assassination Attempt
This past weekend, there was an assassination attempt on Former President Donald Trump at a political campaign rally. This analysis by Kamaryn Madry will explain how the shooting went down and who was involved. Additionally, she will examine how political leaders have reacted and how different news organizations have chosen to cover the evolving story.
On Saturday, July 13th, a shocking incident unfolded at a Donald Trump political campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when shots were fired toward the former president. The event occurred at 6:15 pm while Trump was addressing the crowd from the stage. Amidst his speech, gunfire erupted, and Trump was seen grabbing his ear, blood trickling down his face. Secret Service agents reacted, swarming the stage and pulling Trump to the ground. They took out the shooter, who was positioned on a nearby rooftop approximately 150 yards away.
Once the area was secured, the Secret Service escorted Trump to his vehicle. Before leaving, Trump paused, raising his fist with the American flag in the background, a moment that quickly became a pivotal image of Saturday’s events. Trump was later taken to a hospital and released the same night. While Trump sustained no serious injuries, the incident resulted in two fatalities and two critical injuries. One of the deceased was Corey Comperatore, a volunteer firefighter who shielded his family from the bullets. The other was the shooter, identified by the FBI as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from Pennsylvania. The FBI is still investigating Crooks’ motives, noting that he was a registered Republican but didn’t vote in the last Presidential election due to his age.
President Biden issued a statement on Saturday night, declaring, “There’s no place in America for this kind of violence. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.” On Sunday, he addressed the nation from the Oval Office, urging Americans to “lower the temperature” in political discourse. Other international politicians have given sympathy to Trump and condemnation of the political violence. The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said, “The attack … is despicable. I wish him a speedy recovery. My thoughts are also with the people who were affected by the attack. Such acts of violence threaten democracy.” in posts on X.
The attempted assassination has dominated news coverage across the United States and globally. Public and media reactions have been varied. By Sunday morning, merchandise featuring the image of Trump post-injury was being sold online and in independent retail stores, with captions such as “American Hero,” “Shooting Makes Me Stronger,” and “Never Surrender.” Similarly, social media platforms have been flooded with memes and videos, both in support of and mocking Trump.
The variation in coverage also reflects the differences among news organizations. Liberal or neutral news outlets like CNN, NBC, and The New York Times have primarily concentrated on reporting the facts: detailing what happened, how it happened, and who was involved. While they have raised questions and speculated about the reasons behind the Secret Service’s delayed response and their failure to detect the shooter sooner, they have refrained from presenting these speculations as facts.
In contrast, right-leaning news organizations like Fox News have taken a different approach to their coverage. While they have reported on the established facts of the assassination, they have also engaged in significant speculation about the event. Just hours after the shooting, and continuing in the days that followed, Fox News aired numerous segments that included accusations about who was responsible for the incident. Shortly after the shooting, they attributed the delayed response of the Secret Service to Biden’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and female Secret Service agents. Speaking on Fox News, Representative Cory Mills of Florida criticized DEI practices, saying, “And I can tell you when you primarily go after D-E-I, you end up with D-I-E.”
Regardless of political views, affiliations, or personal beliefs about what transpired at the rally, the significance of this shooting and its impact on American politics is undeniable. For better or worse, July 13th will be remembered as a pivotal day in democracy and history.
