In recent days, media coverage of former President Donald Trump’s remarks about former Rep. Liz Cheney has sparked widespread debate, with some outlets and political figures accusing Trump of advocating violence against his opponent.

Former President Donald Trump speaks about border security at a rally at Million Air, a private airplane terminal at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Friday October 25, 2024.

At an event in Glendale, Arizona, Trump described Cheney as a “radical war hawk” and made comments about how she might react if she herself faced the kind of military action she supports.

“I don’t blame [former Vice President Dick Cheney] for sticking with his daughter, but his daughter is a very dumb individual. Very dumb, she’s a radical war hawk,” Trump said.

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“Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her, OK? Let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face,” he added. Trump’s remarks were quickly interpreted by several major media outlets as calls for violence.

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Headlines from outlets including The New York Times and The Washington Post suggested that Trump was using “violent war imagery,” while CNN and The Drudge Report went further, with Drudge declaring, “TRUMP CALLS FOR CHENEY’S EXECUTION.”

CNN’s Kasie Hunt and Jim Acosta both pointed to the comments as an escalation in “violent rhetoric” from the former president, with Acosta pressing Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) on whether Trump’s comments “evoke images of a firing squad.” Similarly, MSNBC’s Jonathan Lemire and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie criticized the remarks as dangerous.

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However, critics of the media’s portrayal came from across the political spectrum.

Former GOP congressman and anti-Trump advocate Joe Walsh took to X to state that the headlines were misleading, saying, “Trump did NOT call for Liz Cheney to be executed.” Walsh, who has been actively supporting Kamala Harris in her campaign, noted that although he disagrees with Trump, the coverage misrepresented his comments. “He’s an utterly horrible human being who’s utterly unfit for office, but the truth should always matter,” Walsh added.

Others on the left also joined in challenging the media’s interpretation. The Young Turks host Cenk Uygur wrote, “Donald Trump did not call for the execution of Liz Cheney. That is a bald-faced lie.”

He pointed out that Trump’s remarks were aimed at illustrating Cheney as a “chickenhawk,” a term often used to criticize those who support wars they themselves don’t have to fight in.

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Kat Rosenfield, a columnist for The Free Press, added, “When he says (paraphrased) ‘these pro-war people wouldn’t be talking such a big game if they were on the front lines,’ it is actually not the same thing as saying they should be shot.”

Conservative voices were similarly critical of the media’s interpretation.

Radio host Erick Erickson argued that sensationalist reporting undermines media credibility and plays into Trump’s hands, stating, “The Trump ‘bloodbath’ comment and his latest on Liz Cheney have both been exaggerated and taken out of context.”

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Journalist Glenn Greenwald also weighed in, comparing media coverage of Trump’s remarks to “what he actually said,” which, he argued, fuels distrust in traditional media.

The discussion reached the HBO show Real Time with Bill Maher, where Maher and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) dissected the media’s narrative.

Maher criticized outlets for “lying” about Trump’s remarks, noting, “I woke up today to the headline that Trump had called for a firing squad for Liz Cheney. And this is what I really don’t like about the media, no, he didn’t.”

Maher likened Trump’s comments to the anti-war sentiments of “hippies” who criticized sending soldiers into war from “the safety of nice buildings.”

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Rep. Raskin agreed with Maher, stating, “I agree with you on the lying. That is ridiculous and absurd and counterproductive.”

While both expressed discomfort with Trump’s choice of language, they emphasized that distorting his statements does a disservice to public trust in media.

This controversy underscores an ongoing challenge with political rhetoric and media coverage, especially during a highly polarized election season.

While critics of Trump call for careful scrutiny of his words, some are calling for balance and caution in media interpretations, warning that misrepresentations can erode public confidence.

As Election Day approaches, the debate over accurate reporting and responsible rhetoric remains center stage.