This article has been updated to include a statement from the NRSC.
Less than 24 hours after there was a second assassination attempt against former and potentially future President Donald Trump, The Cincinnati Enquirer thought it fitting to blame the victim here. On Monday morning, the outlet published a letter to the editor from Felicia Duncan of Sharonville, Ohio. Not only did she claim that Trump "brings a lot of this stuff on himself," she has also donated to the vulnerable Democratic incumbent in Ohio's Senate race, Sherrod Brown.
Opinion: Opinion: There is no place in politics for violence. That said, the former president, Donald Trump, brings a lot of this stuff on himself. https://t.co/vq4J5VSKIe
— Enquirer (@Enquirer) September 16, 2024
"There is no place in politics for violence," Duncan begins by writing, though she then immediately goes on to blame the assassination attempt on Trump. "That said, the former president, Donald Trump, brings a lot of this stuff on himself," she adds, bringing up immigration as well as the 2020 election. Duncan claims that Trump "brings the crazies out, and one of those crazies tries to shoot him."
It wasn't just "one of those crazies," given that this is the second assassination attempt against Trump, as the outlet noted when publishing Duncan's letter.
Nowhere in her letter does Duncan call on Democrats to quit their divisive and inflammatory rhetoric that could inspire would-be assassins. The blame is placed all on Trump. Duncan even offers a suggestion of what "Trump can do to reduce the chance that one of these crazies will attempt to assassinate him," with added emphasis.
She even tries to add a message about protecting taxpayers. As her letter closes with original emphasis, "Otherwise, why should the American people continue to put out extra millions for protection that is only needed because the former president can't keep from lying and bringing these issues on himself?"
This letter to the editor is hardly the only piece published by the outlet that looks to put the onus on Trump and Republicans.
Brown is running against Republican Bernie Moreno in a "Toss-Up" race for the November election. Sharing a screenshot of data, Moreno's X account noted that Duncan has donated at least seven times to the Friends of Sherrod Brown committee, for a total of $325.00
The lunatic who wrote this article in the @Enquirer donated to @SherrodBrown at least 7 times. Does he endorse this rhetoric? https://t.co/9nH1jqjoC7 pic.twitter.com/X5b9Xnj2l7
— Bernie Moreno (@berniemoreno) September 16, 2024
Philip Letsou, a spokesperson for the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), also weighed in with a statement for Townhall. "Instead of condemning political violence, the Trump-hating radicals funding Sherrod Brown say it’s Donald Trump’s fault lunatics spouting left-wing talking points have attempted to assassinate him multiple times. Ohio voters need to know if Brown hates Trump as much as his donors do," Letsou said.
Brown put out a single post from his official account on Sunday noting he wants to be "crystal clear" that "political violence is never acceptable." Many chimed in with replies to take issue with the rhetoric from the left.
There is no such post from Brown's political account, and both his political account and official account have since posted plenty about unrelated topics.
I’m glad to hear that President Trump is safe and grateful to law enforcement for securing the area quickly. While we wait for more details, I want to be crystal clear: political violence is never acceptable.
— Sherrod Brown (@SenSherrodBrown) September 15, 2024
The Enquirer's post has been thoroughly ratioed by over 3,000 replies and over 500 quoted replies taking issue with the outlet for publishing the letter. Doug P at our sister site of Twitchy highlighted some of the best examples.
The Trump-Vance campaign also referenced such a letter from Duncan when sending out a list of how "the deplorable commentary from Democrats and the Fake News in the aftermath of the latest assassination attempt has been even worse[.]"