Trump says he would not 'mind' if journalists were shot at Pennsylvania rally

4 November 2024, 15:20

Donald Trump has said he would not “mind” if an assassin shot journalists at a rally in Pennsylvania as he labelled them as “fake news”.

One of two assassination attempts made towards the former President during this election campaign was carried out in Pennsylvania this summer.

The 78-year-old was once again campaigning in what is likely to be one of the key swing states in Tuesday’s election as he spoke at a rally in Lititz.

While gesturing to the panes of glass protecting him and then to the journalists in attendance, Trump said: “I have this piece of glass here. But all we have really over here is the fake news.

“And to get me, somebody would have to shoot through the fake news. And I don’t mind that so much. I don’t mind that.”

His campaign put out a statement in response claiming that Trump was actually talking about his concerns for the safety of journalists at the rally.

Spokesman Steven Cheung argued: “President Trump was brilliantly talking about the two assassination attempts on his own life, including one that came within 1/4 of an inch from killing him, something that the Media constantly talks and jokes about.

“The President’s statement about protective glass placement has nothing to do with the Media being harmed, or anything else.”

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Cheung added: “It was about threats against him that were spurred on by dangerous rhetoric from Democrats.

“In fact, President Trump was stating that the Media was in danger, in that they were protecting him and, therefore, were in great danger themselves, and should have had a glass protective shield, also.

“There can be no other interpretation of what was said. He was actually looking out for their welfare, far more than his own!"

Pennsylvania, which Trump won in 2016 and then lost to Biden in 2020, has been targeted heavily by the campaigns of both Trump and Kamala Harris ahead of Election Day.

The state will absorb about a fifth of all presidential ad spending, according to AdImpact.

Both Trump and Harris planned rallies in Pittsburgh - Pennsylvania’s second-most populous city - on Sunday, which was the last day of campaigning.

JoyAnna Hopper, associate professor of political science at the University of Scranton, said: “Pennsylvania is the definition of a swing state.

“It’s a large state and the margins are very small. It’s hard to imagine many paths to the presidency that don’t involve winning [it].”