Trump denies calling ABC News' Jonathan Karl after WHCD shooting: ‘Very dishonest reporting’

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump has denied calling ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl to check in on him the morning after the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner shooting.

In an April 26 video shared on X (formerly Twitter), Karl had claimed that the POTUS gave him a call, asking “if I was okay.” 

Trump says Jonathan Karl is 'trying to make himself look important'

But now, as per Trump, the apparent call with the longtime chief Washington correspondent at ABC News never happened. 

Taking to Truth Social on Monday, May 4, the POTUS wrote, “Jonathan Karl, of ABC Fake News, made a statement that I called him early in the morning, the day after the assassination attempt, to ask whether or not HE was OK.”

“No, this was a hit on ME, not HIM, and I didn’t make such a call, why would I do that? He called me, but I didn’t take his call — He just confirmed that to me when he called again,” he explained.

The Republican leader further blasted Karl for “very dishonest reporting” as he added, “He’s trying to make himself look important but, I’m not surprised, because it comes from ABC Fake News!”

Jonathan Karl claimed Trump called him and they spoke for a few minutes 

This came days after the 58-year-old journalist said in a video that he received a call from Trump on his landline.

“I got a call this morning on my landline at about, a little after 7am. Not many people call me on that number these days, but it was the president. It was President Trump calling,” he claimed.

Karl added that “he said, to see if I was okay with all that happened last night, if I was okay. And then we spoke for a few minutes.”

Cole Tomas Allen planned to target Trump and his top officials

Karl was one of the many attendees of the fateful event on April 25 that saw the 31-year-old suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, firing inside the venue. The attack left one Secret Service agent wounded.

Allen was eventually arrested as he now faces charges, including one count of attempt to assassinate the president of the US, transportation of a firearm & ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.

As per the alleged shooter’s manifesto, Trump as well as his senior officials were his targets, except the FBI Director Kash Patel.

“Administration officials (not including Mr. Patel): they are targets, prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest. Secret Service: they are targets only if necessary, and to be incapacitated non-lethally if possible,” he wrote.