Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said at a rally that if Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton “gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people maybe there is, I don’t know.”
Roger Stone, a longtime Trump adviser and ally, previously called for Clinton to be “brought to justice - arrested, tried, and executed for murder.” Another Trump adviser, Al Baldasaro, has said that Clinton should be “shot for treason”; the Secret Service subsequently investigated him.
Numerous media figures reacted with shock, condemning Trump's remarks and questioning whether the Secret Service would investigate him. Media figures also took issue with the Trump campaign’s “spin” that Trump was just talking about Second Amendment people “voting.”
Here is a sample of the media reaction from across the political spectrum:
A major party nominee suggesting, jokingly or not, that people assassinate their opposing candidate is not funny. It's terrifying.
— Emily Cahn (@CahnEmily) August 9, 2016
Good God. Trump is encouraging his supporters to shoot either Hillary or the judges she may choose https://t.co/Vf7ceg42wR
— Reza Aslan (@rezaaslan) August 9, 2016
Tomorrow's spin today: Trump just meant Second Amendment activists should vote against her in November.
That's not what he said, though...— Benjy Sarlin (@BenjySarlin) August 9, 2016
So Trump now moving on from suggesting Clinton stealing election to suggesting supporters assassinate her?
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) August 9, 2016
Trump becomes the first person with Secret Service protection to be investigated by the Secret Service. https://t.co/4hUti5Nq9D
— Radley Balko (@radleybalko) August 9, 2016
Has Secret Service ever had to open investigation of one of its own protectees? https://t.co/JXApFEGQXA
— Mike Memoli (@mikememoli) August 9, 2016
No way to spin what Trump said. Suggesting Second Amendment supporters could solve Clinton/ SCOTUS is vile and should be repudiated.
— Goldie Taylor (@goldietaylor) August 9, 2016
Somebody has to call the Secret Service on this guy. Oh. Wait. https://t.co/2KWY5P77LR
— Will Leitch (@williamfleitch) August 9, 2016
Flaw in Trump explanation: He said “2nd Amendment people” could do something “if she gets to pick judges” - implies it's after she's elected
— Anthony Zurcher (@awzurcher) August 9, 2016
Trump's campaign has been one extended argument for why killing Hillary Clinton is justified. Period. https://t.co/4QgOCfrFIC
— Justin Miller (@justinjm1) August 9, 2016
This is beyond the pale, even for Trump.
Basically saying: If I lose the election, go ahead and revolt/assassinate. https://t.co/zdNKZh3HvT— Robson Fletcher (@CBCFletch) August 9, 2016
Yes, Trump is saying/joking someone could shoot Clinton to prevent her from making SCOTUS picks. https://t.co/P6jkFSMmDc
— Christina Wilkie (@christinawilkie) August 9, 2016
The timeline of Trump’s excuse is way off. He said “if Clinton gets to pick” meaning after she’s elected. Not 2A voters voting against her.
— Christina Wilkie (@christinawilkie) August 9, 2016
Donald Trump just suggested someone use a gun to prevent Hillary Clinton from appointing judges. He really said it. https://t.co/mqUwwong9u
— Mathieu von Rohr (@mathieuvonrohr) August 9, 2016
Did Trump actually seriously just threaten that his supporters might shoot Hillary Clinton?? Good God https://t.co/CiqVeEfiXy
— Mark Follman (@markfollman) August 9, 2016
So he made a joke about her getting shot. Big deal.
WHAT?????????— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) August 9, 2016
What's a little assassination threat between friends? https://t.co/8phJ6MoYbp
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) August 9, 2016
We jumped the shark 100 sharks ago, but Donald Trump just suggested that his supporters could shoot Hillary Clinton:https://t.co/Krwn2i1sVA
— Samantha Allen (@SLAwrites) August 9, 2016
Trump's all-star communications team released a nonsensical statement about how he meant voting not shooting. *wink* pic.twitter.com/Np95k8VTIW
— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) August 9, 2016
Now that @realDonaldTrump suggested to his followers that they use 2nd amendment 2 stop Clinton, will he be investigated by @SecretService?
— Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) August 9, 2016
This is perhaps the least-plausible alternative explanation for what Trump said https://t.co/vyD4KqmJ2L
— Christopher Ingraham (@_cingraham) August 9, 2016
Of course Trump was joking, he'd never condone calling for Hillary to be shot dead.
*earpiece crackles*
What? Oh. https://t.co/8nCaJV1Jtp— Will Oremus (@WillOremus) August 9, 2016
Trump's comments aren't that far off from kinds of things Secret Service investigates...https://t.co/icurFr1n7dhttps://t.co/KbwnHTJknw
— Alex Seitz-Wald (@aseitzwald) August 9, 2016
[changes 'DAYS WITHOUT STUNNING TRUMP COMMENT' sign back to zero'] https://t.co/icQFTZYcEa
— Philip Bump (@pbump) August 9, 2016
Guys, we don't know for sure Trump was insinuating someone could shoot Clinton. He could “just” have been talking about an armed uprising.
— Eric Goldman (@TheEricGoldman) August 9, 2016
Trump spin says he meant 2nd Amendmenters could stop Clinton's election.
His comment was about stopping nominees she’d have after election— Sam Stein (@samsteinhp) August 9, 2016
Even with the most charitable interpretation, Trump is saying pro-2nd Amendment people can politically stop Clinton judicial picks. 1/2
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) August 9, 2016
You decide if he’s joking, but it sounds like Trump is suggesting violence against Clinton. https://t.co/1m08M0kr4f https://t.co/9eJJvJojIb
— Jim Roberts (@nycjim) August 9, 2016
Does Trump realize we saw the video? He said “If she gets to pick Supreme Court justices...” VOTING or whatever his excuse was doesn't apply
— Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) August 9, 2016
Treating the Trump campaign's nonsensical explanation for his remark as reasonable and credible is cowardly and a disservice to readers
— Jon Swaine (@jonswaine) August 9, 2016
Also this explanation makes no sense because he's clearly talking about doing something after the election. https://t.co/ls58I2ZHgx
— Binyamin Appelbaum (@BCAppelbaum) August 9, 2016
Wow, I read far better defenses/interpretations of Trump's statement on Twitter https://t.co/8qSVGdCwh9
— Nate Cohn (@Nate_Cohn) August 9, 2016
As some others have noted, this Trump statement doesn't directly deny that he was calling for violence pic.twitter.com/Cfhg7TIsfU
— Nick Riccardi (@NickRiccardi) August 9, 2016
Trump's comments indefensible. As I understand it 16 members of RNC can call emergency meeting to vacate and replace him on ballot. Do it.
— Amanda Carpenter (@amandacarpenter) August 9, 2016
Instead, his campaign puts out nonsense garblegook as a response. The correct response is “NO, I DIDN'T MEAN THAT.”
— Amanda Carpenter (@amandacarpenter) August 9, 2016
UPDATE: This post has been updated with additional reactions.