CNN and the Washington Post are facing backlash for publishing misleading headlines downplaying the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump at his Saturday rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“Trump rushed off stage after loud noises at rally,” read the front page of the Washington Post, shortly after the former president flinched and bled from his ear after gunshots rang out around 6:10 p.m.
Footage of Trump being escorted away by U.S. Secret Service officials while triumphantly pumping his fist in the air immediately went viral on social media:
Trump survived. God bless this man. pic.twitter.com/3d1hIIILul
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) July 13, 2024
Even with several firsthand witnesses corroborating that gunshots were heard, and a Secret Service agent was heard saying that the “shooter is down,” the Jeff Bezos-owned outlet refused to update its headline to reflect these details for over an hour.
CNN’s version of the story was even worse, with “Secret Service rushes Trump off stage after he falls at rally.”
Many social media users reacted poorly to both headlines, calling out the media giants for portraying the situation as less dangerous than it was.
“Even in a horrifying moment such as this they just can’t help themselves,” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) reacted:
Even in a horrifying moment such as this they just can’t help themselves. pic.twitter.com/REDIQvWaX8
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) July 13, 2024
Conservative author Ashley St. Clair pointed out that someone would have two completely different ideas of what happened if they only read those headlines instead of getting real-time updates on X:
If you are on , you witnessed an assassination attempt on President Trump in real time
If you are reading regime Media like CNN + Washington Post, you believe Trump fell on stage because of loud noises
And you wonder why they hate Elon… pic.twitter.com/aflKqyavHR
— Ashley St. Clair (@stclairashley) July 13, 2024
“You don’t hate the media enough,” wrote video creator and journalist The Quartering:
TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT JUST HAPPENED…
Washington Post: Loud Noises
You don't hate the media enough pic.twitter.com/mcYV5nafPg
— TheQuartering (@TheQuartering) July 13, 2024
Only at around 7:40 p.m. did the Washington Post update its frontpage headline to read, “Trump safe after being rushed off stage following shooting at rally.”
CNN also did eventually update their coverage to state, “Trump rushed off stage after shooting at Pennsylvania rally”
There have been conflicting reports on if Trump was grazed by a bullet or a piece of glass, according to live updates from Breitbart News.
“Glass fragments not a bullet hit Trump,” a source familiar tells me.
— Juliegrace Brufke (@juliegraceb) July 13, 2024
Former President Donald Trump released a statement following the shooting that occurred at his rally in Pennsylvania, writing on Truth Social he was “shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear,” as Breitbart News reported.
At least one audience member is dead, and a shooter has reportedly been killed:
Butler county district attorney Richard Goldinger tells me Trump was grazed by gunfire but is safe. An audience member was killed and the shooter is dead. Another person is in serious condition, the prosecutor said.
— Meryl Kornfield (@MerylKornfield) July 13, 2024
Read here for live updates on the incident.
Editors’ Note: This story has been updated.
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