Ted Cruz faces backlash for claiming Trump being 'victim-shamed' after second assassination bid

AUSTIN, TEXAS: GOP Sen Ted Cruz claimed that former president Donald Trump was being "victim-shamed" following the second assassination attempt against him.

The Texas Republican's meltdown came in response to MSNBC's Joe Scarborough's claim that Trump continued to play golf despite being warned by the Secret Service that it could endanger his life.

"After the second assassination attempt on President Trump, Joe Scarborough disgustingly victim-shamed Donald Trump," Cruz wrote on X (formerly Twitter) along with a clip from his podcast 'Verdict with Ted Cruz'.

The GOP presidential nominee became the target of a second assassination plot on September 15 while he was playing golf at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Secret Service spotted a gun barrel poking out of the fence around 300 to 500 yards away from the ex-president. No shots were fired at Trump, unlike his narrow escape from a potentially fatal bullet in July during a Pennsylvania rally.

Ted Cruz slams Joe Scarborough for 'victim-shaming' Donald Trump

Ted Cruz further implied that MSNBC purposefully pulled Joe Scarborough's show off the air after the July assassination attempt.

"I see why MSNBC pulled him off the air after the last assassination attempt," the congressman wrote.

In order to continue the coverage of events that unfolded in Pennslyvania two months ago, when one of the would-be assassins Thomas Matthew Crook's bullets injured Trump's ear, MSNBC pulled 'Morning Joe' off the air, according to Newsweek.

Cruz's podcast contained audio from the September 17 episode of 'Morning Joe' where the hosts weighed in on the security concerns due to the former president's golf playing.

The hosts claimed Secret Service agents warned Trump after he entered the White House regarding the potential threats if he continued playing golf at his own course located close to public roads. However, the real estate mogul dismissed the concerns, claiming his clubs were secure.

"I mean, let's just victim-shame him," Scarborough could be heard in the clip. "It's his fault, folks. He deserves it."

This prompted Cruz to rip into the 'Morning Joe' host by listing the names of presidents who frequently visited golf courses.

"That is ****** absurd," the Texas Republican said, adding former presidents, including Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George HW Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama, went to the golf course.

Ted Cruz claims Donald Trump did not have sufficient Secret Service protection

Ted Cruz then accused MSNBC of putting the blame for the second assassination attempt on Donald Trump and his passion for golf.

"What does MSNBC say? It's his fault. How dare he play golf? Because, understand, they're operating in a world where they hate Trump so much that they view the only place he should be safe is in an underground bunker at NORAD in Colorado," he asserted.

"Because if he's out in public, their view is, well, look, he's taking a risk. He's going to be killed," Cruz added.

The lawmaker claimed that every other president played golf because they had the protection of the Secret Service, but in Trump's case, there was not enough detail. He also accused President Joe Biden's administration of being  "so political, they do not want to assign the resources necessary to protect Trump."

The second would-be assassin of Trump, Ryan Routh, 58, did not open fire but immediately fled the scene after the Secret Service spotted him. He was captured shortly later.

Internet slams Ted Cruz for claiming Donald Trump was being 'victim-shamed'

Ted Cruz's backlash at Joe Scarborough, accusing him of "victim-shaming" Donald Trump over the second assassination plot, backfired on social media as netizens slammed the Texas lawmaker.

"Ted Cruz is a genuinely deranged nut case," a user wrote.

"Ted doing what he does best, lying," another opined.

"You wanna talk about victim shaming? What about when you voted to kill the PACT Act that helped dying veterans, then fist bumped your Republican colleagues in the Senate? You are truly sick," added a user.

"More whining and crying from Ted Cruz," read one remark.

"'Yell at the media' –Ted, when he’s trying to waste time instead of doing any actual work," someone else chimed in.

"Ted no offense but for a guy who should be in DC working on keeping the Government running in addition to passing tangible legislation and enforcing the constitution - you spend an inordinate amount of time watching TV," another user said.

"Why you didn’t defend your wife like this during her time of need. No one likes assignations on any politician. No one deserves that regardless of your political views. So thankfully no one got hurt," read one response.

"It’s time to fire career politician and radical Ted Cruz!!! He’s a coward and he’s too weak!!!!" an individual wrote.

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