Much has been made of the very different responses from President Donald Trump for the Las Vegas shooting that claimed 58 lives, when a gunman opened fire from above during the final act of a a country music festival, and the New York attack, where a driver plowed into a bike lane just before rush hour.
Below is a more detailed look at the two.
Look out for some of the distinctions, including his lack of a policy response to Las Vegas as opposed to his immediate call for response after New York. There are also differences in how he refers to the suspects — a “sick man, a demented man” in Las Vegas; and “animals” in New York. Trump tweeted in relation to the Las Vegas shooting eight times between October 2 and October 11 (all offering support/praising law enforcement/video from his trip).
He tweeted in relation to the NYC attack seven times in about 14 hours.
Las Vegas
First word to CNN that a shooting occurred: 1:23 a.m. ET on October 2. Here’s one of the first pieces of video on CNN from that attack:
First tweet by Trump after the attack: Trump sends a message of condolence a little less than six hours after the attack:
“My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!
First on-camera remarks: A message of condolence in the Diplomatic Reception Room on October 2.
According to CNN’s report at the time: “In a subdued statement, Trump said the nation was united ‘in sadness, shock and grief.’
‘We cannot fathom their pain, we cannot imagine their loss,’ Trump said of those who lost loved ones in the massacre.
Shortly after Trump spoke, the White House released a proclamation ordering flags be flown at half-staff on federal buildings.”
In his remarks, he did not comment on the character of the shooter, only referred to event as a whole as “an act of pure evil”
Transcript: Trump’s post-Las Vegas statement.
First statement on a policy position: October 3, more than a day after the shooting, when asked by reporters about gun laws.
Trump said Tuesday following the shooting that the US will “be talking about gun laws as time goes by” in the wake of the Las Vegas shooting, the nation’s deadliest in modern history.
Also, “he didn’t answer when reporters pressed him about whether the shooting was an act of ‘domestic terrorism.’ Trump previously addressed the nation in a somber speech on Monday morning, labeling the shooting ‘pure evil.'”
He described the shooter as “a sick man, a demented man.”
A day later, more than two days after the shooting, Trump again avoids talking about gun laws during a visit to Las Vegas on October 4.
“We’re not going to talk about that today,” Trump told a reporter at the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada trauma center. “We won’t talk about that.”
There has been no movement by the White House to address gun laws or otherwise respond to the Las Vegas shooting since.
New York City
First word to CNN of an attack: 3:18 p.m. ET on October 31. Here’s one of the first pieces of video on CNN from that attack:
First tweet from President Trump: 5:30 p.m. ET, a little more than two hours after the attack:
“In NYC, looks like another attack by a very sick and deranged person. Law enforcement is following this closely. NOT IN THE U.S.A.!”
The first condolence tweet: It’s the third he sends, at 6:57 p.m.:
“My thoughts, condolences and prayers to the victims and families of the New York City terrorist attack. God and your country are with you!”
First statement on a policy position: About four hours after the attack.
“I have just ordered Homeland Security to step up our already Extreme Vetting Program. Being politically correct is fine, but not for this!”
First political blame from Trump: Follows up with tweets the morning of November 1, blaming Democratic New York Sen. Chuck Schumer for the program used by the driver. But the reality is more complicated.
He follows that with more tweets: “The terrorist came into our country through what is called the ‘Diversity Visa Lottery Program,’ a Chuck Schumer beauty. I want merit based.”
“We are fighting hard for Merit Based immigration, no more Democrat Lottery Systems. We must get MUCH tougher (and smarter). @foxandfriends”
Trump’s first on-camera remarks: The President speaks during spray for Cabinet meeting in the early afternoon on November 1, and forcefully calls for a re-examination of US immigration policy and says his White House will undertake that immediately. He speaks out against “chain migration,” and the visa program that allowed the driver into the US and calls the US system of justice a “joke.” He suggests he could send the suspect, who he calls an “animal,” to Guantanamo Bay. Trump demands “punishment that’s far quicker and far greater than the punishment these animals are getting right now.”
“We also have to come up with punishment that is far quicker and far greater” for terrorists, he added.
His clear policy agenda is to change the US immigration system: “I am, today, starting the process of terminating the diversity lottery program,” Trump said. “I am going to ask Congress to immediately initiate work to get rid of this program, diversity lottery, diversity lottery. Sounds nice, it is not nice, it is not good. It hasn’t been good and we have been against it.”
