An editor for a major news publication reportedly told staffers not to use the iconic image of President Donald Trump moments after he survived an assassin’s bullet, claiming it was “dangerous” and would benefit Trump’s re-election campaign.
While Axios does not name the publication or the editor, it points out several media outlets have been grappling with how to cover the assassination attempt and its aftermath without making Trump appear as a triumphant folk hero.
“Multiple photographers worried privately in conversations with Axios that the images from the rally could turn into a kind of ‘photoganda,’ with the Trump campaign using them to further their agenda despite the photographers’ intent of capturing a news event,” Axios reported Tuesday.
The report goes on to note that an editor at a “major” publication had expressed worries the photo, shot by Associated Press photographer Evan Vucci, could be “free PR” for Trump:
“A photo editor and photographer from a major news outlet said the ‘amount that publications have been using Evan’s photo is kind of free P.R. for Trump in a way, and its dangerous for media organizations to keep sharing that photo despite how good it is.”
Axios adds that “Another photographer who has freelanced for major publications worried that the photo would become ‘a propaganda machine,’ with the image itself making Trump ‘a martyr.’”
While the powerful image capturing the historical event has certainly gone viral, leftist anti-Trump establishment media photogs appear immensely disappointed they were unable to get a shot of Trump actually being killed at the rally.