White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has blamed top Democrats and the American press for the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, Leavitt accused them of fostering a “cult of hatred” that led to the attack.
Leavitt said the “systemic demonization” of Trump and his supporters by commentators, Democratic lawmakers, and some in the media had “helped to legitimize this violence.” She argued that those who label the president a “fascist” or “a threat to democracy” are “fueling” violence as part of a “left wing cult of hatred.”
The press secretary also criticised ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel for a joke about First Lady Melania Trump, calling it “completely deranged.” Both Trump and his wife have called for Kimmel’s firing. Leavitt urged commentators to “tone it down” but did not say whether Trump would moderate his own rhetoric.
In a separate interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes, Trump attacked correspondent Norah O’Donnell after she quoted the alleged gunman’s description of him as a “pedophile, rapist, and traitor.” Trump denied the claims and called O’Donnell “a disgrace” for reading them on air.
