Former President Donald Trump recently addressed multiple reported assassination attempts against him, asserting that "only consequential presidents get shot." These comments were made during an interview with his former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, on Sunday.
The discussion was part two of a two-part interview series released by Cohen, delving into various subjects, including earlier reports that Trump had discreetly boarded a separate military aircraft due to a credible threat from Iran. Cohen, who has previously been critical of Trump, highlighted that these incidents represented a pattern of threats against the former president's life.
"I'm so nauseated by them," Cohen stated. "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 to Cohen's concern with a notable observation.
"The one thing I would say to that. If you read, only consequential presidents get shot," Trump quipped.
Cohen then playfully urged Trump, "Then do me a favor, please don't be consequential. How's that?"
To which Trump replied, "I know. Maybe I'll have to become less consequential."
Reflecting on Presidential Dangers
Trump acknowledged the inherent dangers of the presidency but reassured that he is protected by "great people." He further elaborated on his theory, suggesting that the job has become "much, much tougher over the years."
"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 remarked.
The Interview Context and Cohen's Shift
Michael Cohen, once a significant witness in two New York legal cases involving Trump and a vocal critic, conducted this interview after a period of estrangement. The conversation marked their first public interaction in nearly a decade. In a Substack post detailing this surprising reunion, Cohen underscored the importance of forgiveness, despite facing criticism for engaging with Trump.
"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,’" Cohen wrote. "That verse isn’t merely some theological footnote to what is happening between Donald Trump and me. It is the foundation of it."
