A live microphone Tuesday caught the voices of unidentified journalists joking about an assassination of former President Donald Trump.
The Trump Train, a self-described pro-Trump account on the social media platform X, was incensed.
“Wow – a hot mic caught journalists joking about President Trump being assassinated as they awaited his arrival at the D.C. federal courthouse where his criminal immunity appeal will be held,” the account noted.
“The normalization of violence against Trump and his supporters is real. Here’s the full transcript.
“Journo 1: ‘You know what the worst part is? Even if he has his window open and he’s hanging out of it, he will be on the other side of the street.’
“Journo 2: ‘I mean, if he’s driving, we’ve got a good shot!’
“Journo 1: ‘Yeah, if he’s driving with the front window open?’
“Journo 2: ‘Yeah, or if it’s a convertible?’
“Journo 1: ‘Yeah. I wasn’t thinking about that.’
“Journo 2: ‘Yeah. Like if he just pulls up – ‘
“Journo 1: ‘Like JFK?’
“Journo 2: ‘[laughs]’
“Journo 1: ‘Maybe someone, just like they told JFK—You know what you should do? You should take a convertible! It’s so nice out!’”
WOW – A hot mic caught journalists joking about President Trump being assassinated as they awaited his arrival at the DC federal courthouse where his criminal immunity appeal will be held.
The normalization of violence against Trump and his supporters is real.
Here’s the full… pic.twitter.com/qKLpuFCyiI
— The Trump Train 🚂🇺🇸 (@The_Trump_Train) January 9, 2024
According to the New York Post, the “unidentified male journalists had their news cameras stationed outside the E. Barrett Prettyman US Courthouse when they started to grouse about the difficulties of getting a view of the 77-year-old 2024 Republican front-runner.”
Trump was making an appearance at the courthouse for his argument to an appeals court that he can’t be prosecuted for charges related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol incursion because he had presidential immunity, as Forbes reported.
The feed came from The Associated Press, the Post reported.
Here is a YouTube account of the exchange published by the Post. Laughter can clearly be heard amid the banter.
[embedded content]
Newsbusters Managing Editor Curtis Houck voiced his objection to the journalists’ jokes.
“Just watch. Nothing will come of this and neither journalist will be punished.” Houck said. “If this were Obama, they’d be already be publicly identified and detained.”
Just watch. Nothing will come of this and neither journalist will be punished. If this were Obama, they’d be already be publicly identified and detained.
Hot Mic Catches Journos Laughing and Joking About Trump Being Assassinated at Appeals Court https://t.co/FtDg61XRYz
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) January 9, 2024
Others joined in objection to what was supposed to be a private exchange.
“This is incredibly evil,” one user wrote. “The hatred the sanctimonious media has for Trump is demonic.
“Every ‘journalist’ there should be asked if they disavow these death threats.
“It’s also telling that they are admitting the deep state assassinated JFK.
“Media is the Enemy of the people.”
🚨🚨🚨
This is incredibly evil. The hatred the sanctimonious media has for Trump is demonic
Every “journalist” there should be asked if they disavow these death threats. It’s also telling that they are admitting the deep state assassinated JFK
Media is the Enemy of the people https://t.co/wwTqCSOoIl
— Steven 🇺🇸 (@SirStevenKJ) January 9, 2024
Another user followed a similar theme, noting that “insert Biden’s name, and they would all be investigated, fired and sent to prison.”
Hot Mic Catches Journos Laughing and Joking About Trump Being Assassinated At Appeals Court
The radical left having been wishing this for 8 years,
Now insert Biden’s name, and they would all be investigated, fired and sent to prison. https://t.co/QNqXzuggDy
— .*Funkytown™*. (@01Funkytown) January 9, 2024
Street reporters — like police, fire, and medical first responders — sometimes reflect forms of gallows humor and for the same reason. Repeated exposure to major news events, even when they involve human tragedy, breeds a familiarity that can be appalling to those who live more settled lives, with more routine jobs.
The banter of the these reporters might be dismissed as discussing how to get the best coverage of what would be a major news event, an assassination effort.
Yet the joking and reference to the use of an open car that lowered security at the time of the 1963 Kennedy shooting seems to reflect a gleefulness about an attack on Trump’s life.
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As Trump has faced continual roadblocks in his seeking of a second term, ranging from demonstrated election irregularities to lawfare attempts to disqualify him and keep him off state ballots, there is a growing concern regarding attempts on his life.
Ex-Secret Service Agent Dan Bongino, now a political commentator has expressed such concern. As have former Fox News hosts Megyn Kelly and Tucker Carlson.
At least officials took seriously the 2017 stunt of comedian Kathy Griffin when she held up a facsimile of Trump’s severed head.
Besides being fired from CNN and having her career implode, Griffin ended up for a time on a no-fly list and was threatened with being charged with conspiracy to assassinate the president, according to NPR.
As different attempts to block the former president seem to fail, one has to hope there are limits to leftists’ oft-repeated words “by any means necessary.”
Prayers for Mr. Trump. And for our nation in these times.
