Tucker comments on Trump’s post-shooting resolve, messaging: ‘Getting shot in the face changes a man’ (2024)

A seeming shift for former President Donald Trump had Tucker Carlson weighing in on what “getting shot in the face” does to a man.

From his initial fist-pumping call to “Fight!” to his arrival in New Jersey and his Sunday morning tee time, the GOP leader had embodied strength, resiliency, and an unshaken resolve after Saturday’s assassination attempt.

Now, as Trump called for unity and praised God that he was still alive, Carlson contended to Axios that the messaging was more than mere political calculus.

“I think it’s real,” said the commentator who was among those slated to speak during the week at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “Getting shot in the face changes a man.”

Sunday, the onetime commander-in-chief spoke with Washington Examiner reporter Salena Zito about the historic moment and how it had shifted his plans on how he would accept the presidential nomination to close out the convention.

“The speech I was going to give on Thursday was going to be a humdinger. Had this not happened, this would’ve been one of the most incredible speeches,” contended Trump who was reportedly going to focus on President Joe Biden’s failed policies.“Honestly, it’s going to be a whole different speech now.”

“It is a chance to bring the country together. I was given that chance,” he added echoed by a Truth Social post the same day that simply read, “UNITE AMERICA!”

A follow-up statement to his initial post-assassination attempt remarks reflected the same tone, “Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening. We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness.”

“Our love goes out to the other victims and their families. We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed. In this moment,” continued Trump, “it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win. I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin.”

Many keen-eyed observers caught how the president had tilted his head prior to his being struck in the ear as he looked at a screen displaying data he had been talking about at the moment.

The providential move had Trump reflecting, “That reality is just setting in. I rarely look away from the crowd. Had I not done that in that moment, well, we would not be talking today, would we?”

Standing in contrast with the president’s intent to unify, which Axios reported extended to an order from the GOP leader that “aides not allow the convention’s prime-time speakers to update their remarks to dial up outrage over the shooting,” corporate media outlets continued their usual antics of leveling blame on “rhetoric” and even posturing themselves as potential victims.

This included MSNBC’s Jen Psaki warning how, ahead of the convention, “unless the programming changes, the rhetoric and how the programming is set up is not actually calming the tone or restoring civility.”

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