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Seth Meyers has called out Donald Trump’s running mate JD Vance and other “opportunistic purveyors of paranoia, suspicion and fear” for spreading “conspiracy theories and lies” about the assassination attempt on the former president.
“You should be ashamed” the late-night host said on his show on Monday night.
MAGA Republicans including Ohio Senator Vance, Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene and Rep Mike Collins were quick to try to baselessly blame President Joe Biden and the Democratic party for the attack that left Trump with a grazed ear, one rallygoer dead and two injured.
In a post on X, Vance – who was crowned Trump’s running mate on Monday – wrote: “The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.”
Greene echoed this rhetoric in a post on X on Sunday: “We are in a battle between good and evil… The Democrat party is flat out evil.”
Meanwhile Collins posted: “Joe Biden sent the orders.”
Meyers hit out at the trio on Monday, telling them they “should be ashamed”.
“At a time when things are bad, you are choosing to make things worse,” he said.
“You are choosing to inflame the national mood at a dangerous moment, rather than show the leadership and basic decency it would take to calm things down.”
He addeed: “You should be ashamed. Please stop.”
He then spoke specifically to Vance’s claim that Biden has branded Trump an authoritarian fascist.
“You’re also wrong,” he said. “Engaging in the work of democracy and peaceful persuasion is the opposite of inciting violence.”
“It’s what we need more of, not less. Accurately describing the dangers of autocracy and warning against attempts to dismantle our democracy have nothing to do with political violence.
“Speaking plainly about the specter of authoritarianism is not only our democratic right; it’s our civic duty. We must all continue to do it.”
Other talk show hosts have also spoken about the attempted assassination on Trump with Bill Maher saying that the Trump would-be assassin has done “so much damage to the left” on his show at the weekend.
Trump was shot in the ear during the attack at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a 20-year-old gunman opened fire from a nearby rooftop.
The motive for the attack till remains unclear, but voter records show that the shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks was a registered Republican.
On Monday night, Trump made his first public appearance since the shooting, arriving at the Republican National Convention with his ear wrapped in a bandage.
Hours earlier, he announced that he had picked Vance as his vice presidential running mate.
The Independent has approached Vance, Greene and Collins for comment.
