Trump Dismisses Multiple Assassination Attempts, Contends ‘Only Consequential Presidents Get Shot’

During a Sunday interview with former personal lawyer Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump made light of the numerous assassination attempts directed at him, suggesting that prominent leaders inevitably become targets. Trump’s quip—”only consequential presidents get shot”—came as Cohen released the second installment of their two-part conversation, marking their first public exchange in nearly a decade.

Cohen, once a vocal Trump critic and key witness in multiple New York cases against the president, expressed dismay over the threats facing Trump. He distinguished between policy disagreement and violent action, stating that assassination attempts represent a fundamentally different threat level than political opposition. The interview touched on reports that Trump boarded a separate military aircraft in response to credible intelligence regarding an Iranian threat to his safety.

Trump acknowledged the heightened danger of his position while expressing confidence in his protective detail. He noted that historical assassination victims shared a pattern of significant political consequence, contrasting his situation with that of less prominent predecessors who faced minimal security concerns. Trump suggested that reduced visibility might have afforded recent presidents a quieter existence.

In a Substack post accompanying the interview, Cohen addressed criticism over his reunion with Trump, invoking religious doctrine to justify their reconciliation. Cohen emphasized the importance of forgiveness in their relationship, citing Christian teachings on redemption and moving past grievances.