Watch CBS News

Report: Parody Video Of President Violently Attacking Press, Adam Schiff, Maxine Waters, Shown At Trump Resort

WASHINGTON (CBSLA/AP)  — A graphically violent parody video, shown at a meeting of President Donald Trump's supporters at his Miami resort, depicted a likeness of the president shooting and stabbing his opponents and members of the news media in a church, The New York Times reported Sunday.

The video spares no political party, city, race, gender, or organization -- Trump is shown blasting (literally) entertainers and news personalities like Kathy Griffin, Rosie O'Donnell, Mika Brzezinski,  and several prominent and local California politicians like Adam Schiff and Maxine Waters. Anchors and reporters with Fox News -- like Sean Hannity -- are shown in a favorable light.

In the video, Trump's critics and media members are portrayed as parishioners fleeing his gruesome rampage. The fake Trump strikes the late Sen. John McCain in the neck, lights Sen. Bernie Sanders' head on fire and shoots or otherwise assaults people whose faces are replaced with news organization logos.

The video was shown last week at an American Priority conference at Trump's Doral Miami resort, the newspaper said. Trump was not there. Event organizer Alex Phillips told the Times the video was played as part of a "meme exhibit" and was not associated with or endorsed by the conference "in any official capacity." ''American Priority rejects all political violence," he said, and is looking into the matter.

The 3-minute, 45-second video includes the logo for Trump's 2020 campaign but Tim Murtaugh, spokesman for the re-election organization, told the Times the "video was not produced by the campaign, and we do not condone violence."

Trump Parody Video
(credit: Producer Unknown)

The setting for the massacre is the "Church of Fake News," capturing Trump's familiar refrain about news stories and organizations that he considers to be fake.

In the video, Trump's face is superimposed on a killer's body as he shoots people in the face and otherwise assaults them. Among the targets: former President Barack Obama, Black Lives Matter, and the aforementioned Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters, Bill and Hillary Clinton and Rep. Adam Schiff, who as Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee is leading the impeachment inquiry of Trump.

CNN, The Washington Post, BBC, PBS, NBC and Politico are among the news organizations depicted as victims of the fake Trump's violent fury.

CNN on Sunday called for Trump to denounce the video. The news organization wrote that images contained in the video were "vile and horrific" and failing to denounce the video would be a "tacit endorsement of violence."

Variety reported Sunday that the White House Correspondents' Association said it was "horrified" by the video and also asked the president to denounce it.

Jonathan Karl, president of the WHCA, wrote in part, "All Americans should condemn this depiction of violence directed toward journalists and the President's political opponents. We have previously told the President his rhetoric could incite violence. Now we call on him and everybody associated with this conference to denounce this video and affirm violence has no place in our society."

The White House declined immediate comment.

New York Magazine/Huff Po contributor Yashar Ali blasted the video in a series of tweets.

(TM and © Copyright 2019 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.