Joe Rogan and Mike Baker laugh off idea of Trump adopting ‘civil’ rhetoric after assassination attempt

Mike Baker proposed that such a shift could have disrupted Democrats and positioned Trump as the 'reasonable' and 'civil' figure
PUBLISHED AUG 30, 2024
Joe Rogan and former CIA officer Mike Baker discussed the hypothetical scenario where Trump mellowed down after assassination attempt (PowerfulJRE/screengrab/getty image)
Joe Rogan and former CIA officer Mike Baker discussed the hypothetical scenario where Trump mellowed down after assassination attempt (PowerfulJRE/screengrab/getty image)

WASHINGTON, DC: In a recent episode of 'The Joe Rogan Experience', Joe Rogan and former CIA officer Mike Baker mused over the hypothetical scenario in which former President Donald Trump might have adopted a more “civil” demeanor following the assassination attempt on him.

The conversation, however, ended with both men laughing off the likelihood of such a transformation.

Mike Baker suggests hypothetical startegy for Trump after assassination attempt

Baker, who now works as a technical advisor and commentator, outlined what he believed would have been an ideal response from Trump after he was shot last month during a rally in Pennsylvania.

Baker suggested that had Trump chosen to adopt a more measured and reflective approach to his rhetoric, the Democrats would have been thrown into disarray.

Donald Trump assassination (X/@NiomiNiomid)
Former President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania, where he survived an assassination attempt (X/@NiomiNiomid)

He reasoned that such a dramatic shift would have positioned Trump as the “reasonable” and “civil” figure in stark contrast to his opponents.

“If after that attempt had happened and he had just walked that civil line and said, you know, I’ve had a reflective moment and if he had kept the high road, think about the disparity there because the Democrats, they would have — first of all, they would have gone crazy because they wouldn’t know what to do, but they also wouldn’t have been able to help themselves so they would have thrown the hand grenades again as usual. And then you would have had Trump over here being the reasonable one and being the reflective and civil one,” Baker elaborated.

Rogan agrees with Baker’s hypothesis but cites Trump’s nature as a barrier

Joe Rogan concurred with Baker’s assessment, acknowledging that it could have been a strong strategy. However, Baker and Rogan both agreed that such a shift was unlikely, with Baker humorously noting, “But it didn’t happen.”

Rogan attributed Trump’s persistence in his combative style to his inherent nature, likening it to the fable of the scorpion and the frog.

In the fable, a scorpion stings a frog while crossing a river, dooming both creatures, simply because it is in the scorpion’s nature to sting. Rogan drew a parallel, saying, “No, it’s not in his nature. That’s the scorpion and the frog.”



 

“It’s the same thing,” Rogan said about Trump, reinforcing his point.

The conversation took a lighter turn as Rogan reflected on Trump’s penchant for provocative remarks.

“That guy loves to talk s**t. I mean, he’s calling Tim Walz Tampon Tim now,” Rogan said, breaking into laughter. “He’s so good at it! It’s such a good nickname!”

Trump has said he 'won't be nice' after assassination attempt

Meanwhile, Donald Trump has firmly rejected any suggestion that the assassination attempt he survived on July 13 has made him more conciliatory. At a recent rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, Trump addressed claims that he had become “nice” following the incident.

He remarked, “You know, I was supposed to be nice. They say something happened to me when I got shot—I became nice,” adding, “If you don’t mind, I’m not going to be nice.”

Trump's communications director, Steven Cheung, reinforced this stance, stating that Trump remains committed to speaking candidly about his opponents. Despite House Speaker Mike Johnson’s call for a reduction in inflammatory rhetoric, Trump has continued to launch attacks on Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, increasing his focus on Harris as his potential rival for the presidency.

GET BREAKING U.S. NEWS & POLITICAL UPDATES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Ellison wondered how the DOJ 'is stretching' either the FACE Act, KKK Act 'to apply to people who protested in a church over the behavior of a religious leader'
8 hours ago
Victims’ lawyers accuse the Justice Department of prolonging secrecy and shielding powerful figures after it failed to fully disclose investigative files
18 hours ago
With a razor-thin House majority, the speaker races to unite Republicans to energize voters and safeguard control of the chamber ahead of November
20 hours ago
State Del Adrian Boafo argues the action is needed because ICE agents 'are not qualified' and 'Marylanders deserve people who will protect them'
1 day ago
Two battalions from the 11th Airborne Division were readied for cold-weather deployment as they were best suited for Minnesota’s harsh winter conditions
1 day ago
50 trainers guided 2,000 DSA members and 2,000 allies as Renee Good's death spurred activists to expand rapid response networks
1 day ago
Abigail Spanberger defeated Republican candidate Winsome Earle-Sears in the 2025 election, reshaping Virginia’s political balance heading into 2026
2 days ago
Adriana Camberos' first conviction involved fake energy drinks sold in the US with counterfeit labels, and Trump commuted her sentence in January 2021
2 days ago
'If I move him, these Fed guys - certainly the one we have now - they don't talk much. I would lose you' Donald Trump said about Kevin Hassett
3 days ago
Charles Wall served for the past year as ICE's principal legal advisor, overseeing 3,500 staff in immigration court and advising DHS leadership
3 days ago