4 minPolitics
Trump says 'only consequential presidents get shot' in interview with former lawyer Cohen
President Donald Trump dismissed the multiple assassination attempts against him during a rare interview with his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen, remarking that 'only consequential presidents get shot.'
President Donald Trump shrugged off the multiple assassination attempts against him, telling his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen that «only consequential presidents get shot» during a wide-ranging interview released Sunday.
In the second part of their two-part conversation, Trump and Cohen discussed reports that the president secretly boarded a separate military jet in response to a credible Iranian threat against his life. Cohen, who was once a frequent critic of Trump and a key witness in two New York cases against him, noted that the reported threat was only the latest in a series of attempts on the president's life.
«I'm so nauseated by them,» Cohen said. «There is a huge difference between vehemently disagreeing with a policy and then trying to literally assassinate the President of the United States.»
Trump responded with a quip: «The one thing I would say to that. If you read, only consequential presidents get shot.»
«Then do me a favor, please don't be consequential. How's that?» Cohen said.
«I know. Maybe I'll have to become less consequential,» Trump responded.
The president acknowledged that his job is «dangerous» but said he has «great people» looking after him. He reflected on the changing nature of the threats he faces, saying the situation has «gotten much, much tougher over the years.»
«But it is true, consequential. You look at the people that were shot. You look at the people, even the attempts, but non-consequential presidents lead a much nicer life. You can see that with some of our recent presidents where nothing was ever even thought about,» Trump said.
The interview marked the first public conversation between the two men in nearly a decade. Cohen, who was originally a key witness in two New York cases against Trump, had been a vocal critic of the president prior to the sit-down. In a Substack post detailing the reunion, Cohen emphasized the importance of forgiveness despite the backlash he faced for conducting the interview.
«Colossians 3:13 says: 'Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you,'» he wrote. «That verse isn't merely some theological footnote to what is happening between Donald Trump and me. It is the foundation of it.»
The president has faced multiple assassination threats over the past year. In July, a gunman opened fire at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, wounding Trump and killing a bystander. In September, Secret Service agents thwarted an apparent attempt at Trump's golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, when they spotted a rifle barrel poking through shrubbery. The reported Iranian threat, which prompted the use of a separate military jet, adds to a decade of security concerns surrounding the president.
Trump's remarks come as his security detail has repeatedly warned of elevated threats against him. The president has often addressed the dangers of his position publicly, but his comments to Cohen offered a rare personal reflection on how he views the risks of the office.
