Newsmax’s coverage of the assassination attempt on Donald Trump started with an unbylined and unsourced July 13 article quoting Trump himself describing the incident on his social media site. That was joined by a wire article about Elon Musk declaring that he “fully” endorsed Trump afterwards. From there, it was the expected parade of support and concern ranging from the heartfelt to the sycophantic, with a little more braggadocio from Trump himself for good measure:
- Pelosi Grateful Trump’s Safe After Rally Shooting
- Nikki Haley: ‘We Are Lifting Up Donald Trump’ in Prayer
- Ric Grenell: Trump ‘Doesn’t Need This Job’; Simply Wants MAGA
- Bezos: Trump Showed ‘Courage Under Literal Fire’
- Rev. Franklin Graham: ‘Thank God’ Trump Is Alive
- Sen. Fetterman: Shootings a ‘Dark Day For Our Nation’
- Melania Trump: ‘Let Us Reunite’
- Trump: ‘It Was God Alone Who Prevented the Unthinkable’
- Alveda King: Grieving ‘for the Hatred That Was Displayed’
- Nigel Farage: I’m Flying to RNC to Support Trump
- Trump: Heading to Convention; Shooter Can’t Stop Me
- 3 Months Ago, Man Prophesied Trump Assassination Attempt
- Vatican: Assassination Attempt ‘Wounds People and Democracy’
- Donald Trump Jr. to Newsmax: Told Dad, ‘You Are a Bada**’
- Roger Stone to Newsmax: God Saved Trump’s Life
Newsmax’s right-wing pundits were also eager to quickly start playing the blame game against liberals, despite knowing absolutely nothing about the shooter or any possible motive:
- Joe DiGenova to Newsmax: Dem ‘Negative Campaigning’ to Blame for Trump Attack
- Tulsi Gabbard: ‘Logical Consequence’ of Calling Trump ‘Hitler’
- Ben Carson: ‘Bankrupt Him,’ Slander, Imprison, Now ‘Kill Him’
Newsmax pundits also rushed to lash out at the Secret Service, again while having no evidence to blame those attacks upon:
- Secret Service: Trump Not Denied Additional Security
- Shellenberger: Secret Service Lied, Trump Was Denied Protection
- Bernie Kerik to Newsmax: Investigate Trump’s Security Detail
- Rep. Tenney to Newsmax: Even Secret Service Must Be Probed
- Rep. Perry to Newsmax: Congress Will Probe Shootings
There was also a particularly dumb entry in this category, in which “Former U.S. Navy SEAL Rob O’Neill” claimed without evidence that a countersniper feared “going to prison” if he missed his shot.
Finally, there was the cluelessly embarrassing Mike Huckabee, not that the apparently unironically named Charlie McCarthy accurately described him as such, in a July 14 article:
Former Arkansas Republican Gov. Mike Huckabee lambasted CNN for its coverage of Saturday’s assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
[…]Several hours after the shooting, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., shared on X video of CNN’s coverage of the shooting. The on-screen graphic said, “Loud bangs heard at rally, Trump whisked away with blood on face.”
The video’s audio was of former Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Juliette Kayyem saying: “Donald Trump and the people around him perceive themselves to be under threat, and that’s all that matters. That is not legitimate. That is wrong.”
Huckabee shared Blackburn’s post and called CNN the ‘enemy of the people.’
Yes, Huckabee really thinks CNN is the “enemy of the people” for … accurately and responsibly reporting only known facts in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. As we pointed out when the Media Research Center pulled this same trick, CNN updated its story as more facts became known — which means Huckabee is an idiot for his incredibly stupid media-bashing.