Amidst criticism of former President Trump's rhetoric following a second assassination attempt, senior advisor Bryan Lanza alleges that the media is engaging in "victim shaming" by blaming Trump for the incident. Lanza claims that Trump has faced relentless insults and accusations, and that the media has selectively targeted him as the only victim in the situation.
Las Vegas, Nevada - Former Trump 2024 campaign senior advisor Bryan Lanza has vehemently criticized the media for allegedly engaging in "victim shaming" of former President Donald Trump following a second assassination attempt.
Trump Advisor Accuses Media of "Victim Shaming" Former President after Assassination Attempt
In the wake of the incident, which occurred on Sunday while Trump was golfing at his West Palm Beach, Florida club, Lanza decried the media's relentless focus on Trump's rhetoric, accusing them of making him a target.
"There has been a lot of victim shaming," Lanza said in an interview. "This is the only place where Donald Trump is the victim, it's okay to shame him."
Trump Advisor Accuses Media of "Victim Shaming" Former President after Assassination Attempt
Lanza pointed to the suspect's distance from Trump, estimated at 300 to 500 yards, and the quick intervention of the Secret Service, as evidence that Trump was not responsible for the situation.
"He has been shot at once, there's been another assassination near attempt, and [but] for the grace of the Secret Service getting ahead of it, we stopped another direct assassination attempt," Lanza said.
Trump Advisor Accuses Media of "Victim Shaming" Former President after Assassination Attempt
Lanza further argued that Trump has been unjustly vilified by the media, particularly for his past statements. He cited accusations of anti-Semitism and Hitler comparisons, claiming that these attacks were politically motivated.
"The rhetoric gets hot," Lanza conceded. "But there's no off-ramp."
Lanza also took aim at billionaire and Democratic Party megadonor Reid Hoffman, who reportedly made a remark about Trump being a "martyr" in response to lawsuits against the former president.
"Yeah, I wish I had made him an actual martyr," Hoffman was quoted as saying.
Hoffman later clarified that he was horrified and saddened by the incident and wished Trump a speedy recovery.
The media's coverage of Trump's rhetoric following the assassination attempt has been met with mixed reactions. Some have argued that the media has a responsibility to examine the potential consequences of Trump's inflammatory statements, while others have accused them of overstepping their boundaries and engaging in sensationalism.
The heated debate highlights the ongoing tension between free speech and the responsibility to protect the public from potential harm. As the investigation into the assassination attempt continues, it remains to be seen whether the accusations of "victim shaming" will have a significant impact on the public's perception of the incident.
