Chris Cuomo reveals details of phone call with Donald Trump, slams media's 'shoulder shrug' response
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Chris Cuomo revealed that he made a personal phone call to Donald Trump following the Secret Service's intervention in stopping an armed man from approaching Trump at a golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida.
The suspect, Ryan Wesley-Routh, was intercepted on Friday, September 15, before he could reach the former president.
Chris Cuomo responds to media's 'shoulder shrug' reaction
We all know what is wrong with our politics and us as a people. How do we get to a better place? I don't know what sets us right but I know damn well what is wrong. Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/YOjMk9A5MW
— Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) September 17, 2024
Expressing deep frustration with how the media and politicians have responded to the second assassination attempt on Donald Trump, Cuomo accused them of downplaying what he views as a serious threat.
Criticizing how the incident has been covered, the NewsNation host compared it to what he described as a broader pattern of indifference toward threats against the Republican presidential nominee.
He referenced a previous assassination attempt against Trump in Pennsylvania in July, which he claims was also treated with less urgency than it should have been, according to Mediaite.
“What if it was Kamala Harris or President Biden, God forbid? Do you think it would be almost a shoulder shrug and more talk about the Secret Service and allocation of funds than just how crazy it is that this is what’s happening in our country?” asked Cuomo.
He then highlighted the severity of the situation by emphasizing that Routh had an AK-47 and that the response to the incident from both the media and political players has been “unacceptable.”
Chris Cuomo's personal call to Donald Trump
Chris Cuomo also shared details of his phone conversation with Donald Trump following the second assassination attempt.
Rather than approaching the 78-year-old politician as a reporter, Cuomo who recalled his own childhood fears for his father, the late New York Governor Mario Cuomo who faced threats said that his goal was to check in on Trump’s well-being and that of his family.
“I didn’t ask him any questions. I didn’t go after him about his role. I just wanted to know how his family’s taking this,” said the former CNN host.
He said the phone call was motivated by a sense of shame over the collective response to the threats against Trump, particularly how quickly the incidents were dismissed or minimized by some.
“I called him today because I am ashamed of how we are responding and now responding to the threats on him," said Cuomo.
"I feel for his family, and I know you can roll your eyes and say he asked for it — listen, that’s your choice, and I think it’s a wrong choice," he added.
