Rachel Vindman, whose husband Alexander Vindman was a key witness in the first impeachment of former President Donald Trump, backpedaled on Monday after facing a virtual tidal wave of backlash for something she said about the second assassination attempt on Trump’s life.
In her initial post, Vindman referenced the first assassination attempt — which took place on July 13th in Pennsylvania — where firefighter Corey Comperatore was killed, two others were seriously injured, and Trump was shot in the ear. Because the shooter on Sunday was apprehended without ever firing a shot at Trump, she said. “No ears were harmed. Carry one with your Sunday afternoon.”
She later doubled down, saying that she was not even a little bit sorry for “triggering” people with her comment. But by Monday, she had changed her tune.
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“I have deleted my tweet. It was flippant & political violence is a serious issue,” she said via X. “Whether it’s aimed at a former president, the media, immigrants, or political ‘enemies’ & every incident should be addressed appropriately if we want to change the tenor of our political discourse.”
I have deleted my tweet. It was flippant & political violence is a serious issue. Whether it’s aimed at a former president, the media, immigrants, or political “enemies” & every incident should be addressed appropriately if we want to change the tenor of our political discourse.
— Rachel Vindman 🇺🇸🦅🌻 (@natsechobbyist) September 16, 2024
Vindman continued her thoughts in a brief thread, pivoting immediately from her apology into a justification of her initial comments and the suggestion that she, in fact, was the real victim.
“I have sat awake many nights wondering who might be outside. I have known the instant fear of receiving an unknown package or letter. I have had my child ask me if we were safe and if someone was going to hurt our family,” she said.
With social media it’s easy to say the wrong thing and then walk away, but if words matter for some they should matter for all. I don’t always get it right the first time. I’m grateful to all who have supported us throughout the past five years.
— Rachel Vindman 🇺🇸🦅🌻 (@natsechobbyist) September 16, 2024
“With social media it’s easy to say the wrong thing and then walk away, but if words matter for some they should matter for all. I don’t always get it right the first time. I’m grateful to all who have supported us throughout the past five years.”
Critics were not sure she meant it, however, and responded accordingly.
“I’m normally pretty forgiving about this stuff, but have a hard time believing this. The Vindmans have consistently been supremely narcissistic, they doubled down on her tweet for hours and this is happening only after it’s proven politically damaging,” Mark Hemingway posted.
I’m normally pretty forgiving about this stuff, but have a hard time believing this. The Vindmans have consistently been supremely narcissistic, they doubled down on her tweet for hours and this is happening only after it’s proven politically damaging. https://t.co/8jcZ2wKyqZ
— Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) September 16, 2024
“She went from ‘sorry you’re triggered. I mean no I’m not. I don’t care a little bit’ to ‘political violence is a serious issue,’” Greg Price added.
She went from “sorry you’re triggered. I mean no I’m not. I don’t care a little bit” to “political violence is a serious issue.” https://t.co/G03nZ9OQ1F pic.twitter.com/elEEyAY94Q
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) September 16, 2024
Vindman’s brother-in-law is currently running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in Virginia.
