The legacy media must hold Trump accountable for his violent rhetoric

By not taking Trump to task for his lies, the legacy media is leaving a vacuum for conspiracy theories and politically motivated violence [Courier]( Friend, Thankfully, former President Trump is safe following a failed assassination attempt at his Mar-a-Lago residence. This marks the second attempt on Trump’s life in the past two months. After the first, he briefly called for unity before eventually—and falsely—blaming Democrats. This time, however, he’s dropped all pretense and immediately blamed Democratic "rhetoric" for the failed attempt on his life. [We’ll talk about how the legacy media is covering Trump’s dangerous claims in a moment, but if you’d like to help COURIER hold Donald Trump accountable, can you chip in $25 now?]( Although quicker to spread conspiracy theories this time, Trump’s baseless claim that Democrats were behind the assassination attempts has become a central theme in his campaign. This lie has been echoed in his fundraising emails, at the RNC Convention, in right-wing internet memes, and across Fox News programming. At multiple rallies since July, JD Vance has ominously introduced Trump by saying, “they tried to kill him,” with “they” clearly referring to the Democratic Party. During last week’s debate, Trump went even further, stating, “I probably took a bullet to the head because of the things they say about me.” While some in the legacy media have pointed out that there is no evidence to support these claims, most outlets are simply reporting Trump’s lies as just another news item. Even fewer are taking the next step to call out Trump for making violent rhetoric and an apocalyptic tone a defining feature of the MAGA movement. The truth is, the media’s tired “both sides” frame is entirely ineffective in moments like this. Just take a look at this headline from The New York Times: Trump didn’t just use “harsh language” — he told Fox News that Kamala Harris’ “rhetoric is causing me to be shot at.” Trump is intentionally making a blatantly false statement that has the potential to fuel more politically motivated violence, and The Times must say so to protect our democracy. At COURIER, our mission is to hold Donald Trump and right-wing bad actors accountable for their lies and conspiracy theories. Our reporters in eleven battleground newsrooms are publishing fearless, factual news that prevents conspiracies like these from taking root. [But we need your help to continue our work. If you believe in holding Trump accountable and protecting democracy, please chip in $25 today to support our work through these critical next two months of election coverage.]( Express Donate: If you've stored your info with ActBlue Express, we'll process your contribution instantly: [$5]( [$15]( [$25]( [$50]( Thank you, COURIER --------------------------------------------------------------- Email us: info@couriernewsroom.com [Become a member!]( This message was sent to: {EMAIL}. Email is a critical way we communicate with grassroots supporters like you. However, if you would like to change your subscription preferences, here are some options: [Receive Fewer Emails]( [Update Your Information]( [unsubscribe]( To give by check: Courier Newsroom Box 509 New York, NY 10032