In Pennsylvania, former President Donald Trump recently made a disturbing comment: “To get me, somebody would have to shoot through the fake news — and I don’t mind that so much.” Well, I do mind very much.
Trump’s remarks weren’t a one-off slip but part of a pattern of divisive comments that has increasingly targeted the media, painting journalists as villains and suggesting violence against them is somehow acceptable or even justified. In a country that values free speech, such an indifferent attitude toward the safety of the press is not just reckless — it’s dangerous.
As a journalist, hearing such words is both offensive and alarming. Are we just obstacles, positioned between the public and politicians to be disregarded or dismissed? Many of us didn’t enter journalism for fame or fortune but because we care about the public’s right to know. We are here to report, to investigate, and yes, to hold power accountable. We’re not “bloodsuckers” but professionals dedicated to the truth.
Trump’s comments are a slap in the face, especially given that most reporters face long hours, modest pay and the potential for public hostility after Trump has riled many Americans against the press. This is all for a job we believe matters.
Since entering politics, Trump has relentlessly attacked the media, a stance that helped build his political base and alienated the public from the press he claims is “fake.”
But these recent remarks point out an escalation. Pointing to bulletproof glass at his rally, he labeled it a shield from the media, as if journalists are a physical threat to his safety.
His spokesperson, Steven Cheung, has since dismissed the comment, saying Trump was merely acknowledging the threats against him and that he had “nothing to do with the media being harmed.”
But when a politician starts framing news coverage as a threat, it signals a deeper issue. If criticism or unfavorable coverage is treated as hostility, then democracy’s checks and balances are threatened.
We should all be concerned when a candidate for the nation’s highest office targets the press, especially with this level of vitriol.
Our nation was built on values of a free press, dialogue and accountability. In these times of mounting distrust, comments like Trump’s only serve to stoke the flames of hostility. Journalists are not the enemy; they are the bearers of truth, operating in a job that democracy cannot survive without.
This type of rhetoric must be called out. It’s not merely distasteful; it’s dangerous. Politicians must understand that words have weight — and the weight of Trump’s words feels increasingly ominous.
