Bill Maher defended former President Donald Trump after surviving a second failed assassination attempt.
Last Sunday, a 58-year-old man identified as Ryan Wesley Routh hid for 12 hours with a rifle near the former president's West Palm Beach, Florida golf course. Routh later pointed a rifle at Trump through a fence as the former president played a round of golf seemingly with the intent to harm Trump, though was apprehended by Secret Service.
The comedian discussed the latest assassination attempt during a Friday broadcast of his long-running HBO program Real Time with Bill Maher.
"So let's not bury the lead. The big story this week, they tried to shoot Trump again," Maher began his opening monologue. "Let's not—" Maher continued, though paused as some members of the audience began chuckling.
"Not funny!" Maher shot at the audience, prompting more laughter from the audience.
Maher paused briefly to assess his audience's reaction before throwing his hands up and said, "I'm being serious now."
"This is the second time this happened. I said this before. There can be no fuzz on this. This is not funny! Okay?" he continued. "Look, it's not okay to wish it happened."
Audience members once again laughed in response to the comedian.
"This is a problem," Maher said. "This happens too frequently." Bill Maher chastises his audience for laughing at the 2nd Trump assassination attempt:
"Let's not buy the lede, the big story this week: They tried to shoot Trump again."
*Inappropriate laughter from Bill Maher audience*
"Not funny. Not okay to wish it happened."
*Inappropriate… pic.twitter.com/xiO35qhUkP
— Eric Abbenante (@EricAbbenante) September 21, 2024
"This happened on the golf course. A guy was laying in wait," Maher said before cracking a joke. "In fact, besides the shooter, there were two other shooters beside [Trump] waiting to play through."
"This has got to stop," Maher added.
Last Monday, Routh made his first federal court appearance where he faced two counts of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Routh faces up to 20 years in prison for his two charges, though other charges are expected as the investigation continues.
The incident follows a previous assassination attempt which Trump narrowly survived after being shot in the ear during a Butler, Pennsylvania campaign rally in July. Several gunshots were heard and Trump dropped to the floor of the stage as Secret Service rushed to protect him. After the gunman, who was later identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, was confirmed dead, Secret Service helped Trump to his feet.
Trump then held his fist in the air as he was escorted offstage by Secret Service.
The former president recently said surviving both failed assassination attempts has "hardened [his] resolve" to help the country thrive.
“It must have been God, thank you. Not once, but twice," Trump said during a Long Island, New York rally last week. "These encounters with death have not broken my will. They have really given me a much bigger and stronger mission." Trump: "These encounters with death have not broken my will. They've only hardened my resolve to use my time on earth to make America great again for all Americans." pic.twitter.com/Rmzuy5nFba
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) September 18, 2024
“They’ve only hardened my resolve to use my time on earth to make America great again for all Americans,” the former president continued. “To put America first. We’re gonna put America first.”
