CNN pundit claimed Trump 'wants us dead' just before WHCD attack

CNN political commentator S.E. Cupp criticized the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Saturday night, accusing President Donald Trump of wanting journalists dead just moments before the shooting took place.

"The Correspondents’ Association was trying to sort of mend some fences with a guy who wants us dead,” Cupp said.

“Figuratively. Figuratively, he wants journalism dead," she added. "It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me."

Cupp said she was disappointed that Trump was permitted to be a central figure at an event traditionally meant to celebrate the press. Trump notably did not attend the dinner during his first term.

"Journalism is throwing a party. Journalism is celebrating journalism at this party," Cupp said. "Journalism, for some reason, invited Brendan Carr, FCC chair, who is threatening to revoke the licenses of broadcast networks, Pete Hegseth, who removed journalists from the Pentagon, and Donald Trump, who attacks us on the regular."

"They’re giving Donald Trump a speaking position to roast us to our faces for an hour," she added. "And he doesn’t have to stay for the part where we celebrate journalism and give out awards to journalists and talk about the importance of free speech."

Ahead of the event, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told CNN that Trump’s remarks would combine humor and criticism, saying, “This speech will be highly entertaining. It’s going to be a classic President Trump.”

Roughly 20 minutes after Cupp’s comments, authorities reported a shooting at the venue involving a suspect identified as Cole Allen. Allen told law enforcement he was targeting Trump administration officials, and his social media featured far-left rhetoric.

The incident has intensified debate over political rhetoric in the US, with many pointing out the continued extremist language pushed by the left. Far-left commentator Hasan Piker, who once claimed that “capitalist blood” should flow in the streets and prompted the idea of the president being targeted, received a positive New York Times interview just days ago.