Sean Hannity calls Trump's would-be assassin a 'Democrat', says liberal rhetoric fueled violent behavior
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIA: Sean Hannity directed blame toward liberal politicians for the assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump, inaccurately claiming that the suspects were Democrats, on a recent installment of his Fox News show.
On Sunday, September 15, Ryan Wesley Routh was arrested after a Secret Service agent spotted him aiming an AK-47-style rifle at the former president while he was playing golf at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, as per Mediaite.
Republicans have pointed fingers at Democrats following attempted assassinations against Donald Trump.
The would-be assassin was apparently 300-500 yards away from Donald Trump when a member of the former president's Secret Service detail spotted his rifle in the tree line and opened fire at him.
Routh fled from the scene in a black Nissan SUV, but was soon taken into custody on the I-95 highway. The Secret Service noted that he did not have a clear line of sight on Trump and had not discharged his weapon.
According to an affidavit from an FBI agent, Routh's cellphone service provider showed that his phone was in the vicinity of the area along the golf course's tree line for about 12 hours before the encounter.
The 58-year-old faces two federal gun charges. If convicted of both charges, he could be sentence to up to of 20 years in prison.
This incident followed the shooting at a July rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where the GOP nominee was grazed by a bullet fired by Thomas Matthew Crooks. A Secret Service sniper shot and killed the 20-year-old gunman.
Routh is registered as an "unaffiliated" voter in North Carolina and has contributed over $100 via ActBlue, a Democratic fundraising platform.
Reports indicate Routh wrote on Facebook that he might have voted for Trump in 2016, but had since lost faith in him.
In contrast, Crooks was a registered Republican and had made a minor donation through ActBlue. He researched locations for both Trump and President Joe Biden's appearances.
Republican leaders have pointed fingers at Democrats, arguing that their rhetoric has endangered Trump.
They specifically take issue with claims that the GOP nominee poses a "threat to democracy," especially following his attempts to overturn the 2020 election and his role in the January 6 Capitol Hill riot, fueled by unfounded allegations of voter fraud.
Sean Hannity calls accused Donald Trump assailants 'psychotic Democrats'
During a segment on his show, Sean Hannity presented a montage of notable Democrats criticizing Donald Trump, suggesting that their words incite dangerous behavior. He argued, "Democrats, the mob, the media – they lie repeatedly and say Donald Trump is a threat to democracy. What do people think when they hear this? You decide."
Clips showed Biden asserting, "He is a genuine danger to American security," while Vice President Kamala Harris described her opponet as "an existential threat to our democracy and our most fundamental freedoms."
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz questioned, "Are they a threat to democracy? Yes. Are they going to take our rights away? Yes." A guest on MSNBC even drew a comparison between Trump and historical figures like Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler.
Hannity reacted strongly to these comparisons, stating, "Now, two psychotic Democrats took that rhetoric to heart and now tried to murder Donald Trump." He further accused the White House of fostering a culture that encourages violent behavior.
Internet mocks Sean Hannity as he blames Democrats for attacks against Donald Trump
Sean Hannity's argument didn't sit well with the netizens.
One wrote, "Remember when the Right told you that Obama was building internment camps to round up innocent Americans?" Another said, "Heard that on Fox Entertainment, yes."
A person remarked, "Shammity lying through his thick neck again. Everyone knows these would be shooters were both Republicans. Keep lying about it, you’re kidding no one."
One comment read, "Hannity's viewers don't care about facts. They just want their programmed thoughts to be reinforced."
"Hannity is earning so many Pinocchio's for this statement it would make your head spin," joked an individual.
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
