US Presidential Election 2024: As the election day nears, former US president and Republican Party presidential candidate Donald Trump appears to be turning up the heat with controversial comments he is known for. In a rally in Pennsylvania, a swing state, Trump apparently indicated that a bullet targeted at him at that rally will have to pass through crowd of journalists and that wouldn't 'mind that so much'. The rally took place on Sunday (local time).
The latest controversial comment came during Trump's 90-minute speech at the rally. The former president has survived two assassination attempts one of which nearly claimed his life. The bullet grazed his right ear.
Since his narrow brush with death, Trump has been delivering speeches from behind bulletproof glass panes. The arrangement was same during the Pennsylvania rally.
During his speech, Trump claimed that there were gaps between the glass-panes protecting him. Reuters reported that some of the journalists attending the rally had a line of sight to the former president through the gap.
It is at this time that Trump said that in order for someone to shoot him at the rally, the person will have to shoot the bullet through the crowd of journalists.
"To get me, somebody would have to shoot through the fake news and I don't mind that so much," he said as quoted by Reuters.
The words 'fake news' are being taken as having referred to journalists present at the rally.
Even when he was president, Trump has repeatedly called mainstream media 'fake news' outlets without giving any evidence.
Trump Campaign Says Trump Looked Out For Media Safety
Steven Cheung, spokesperson of the Trump campaign claimed that Trump was looking out for safety of the media.
"The president’s statement about protective glass placement has nothing to do with the media being harmed, or anything else. It was about threats against him that were spurred on by dangerous rhetoric from Democrats," he said in a statement as quoted by Reuters.
Trump's comments have become increasingly controversial as November 5 draws closer. Arizona's top prosecutor has even opened an investigation against Trump after he indicated that Liz Cheney, a Republican Party member and fierce Trump critic, should face guns in a fight.
