Article below this fast clip... CBS News correspondent Scott MacFarlane tells Chuck Todd he got “PTSD” after Trump assassination attempt — *NOT* from the shooting, but because the crowd blamed the media “For those of us there, it was such a horror.” “I got diagnosed with PTSD within 48 hours. I got put on trauma leave. Not because, I think, of the shooting, but because you could — you saw it in the eyes, the reaction of the people.” “They were coming for us! If he didn’t jump up with his fist, they were going to come kill us!”

🚨NEW: CBS News correspondent Scott MacFarlane tells Chuck Todd he got “PTSD” after Trump assassination attempt — *NOT* from the shooting, but because the crowd blamed the media🚨

“For those of us there, it was such a horror.”

“I got diagnosed with PTSD within 48 hours. I got… pic.twitter.com/JYeA7FZ90G

— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) July 16, 2025

This character would not be able to handle actual military service, in my opinion. He explained that the PTSD didn’t come from the actual shooting, but from how angry the crowd got at the media afterward. MacFarlane feared for his life because some people in the crowd blamed journalists like him for causing the attack. MacFarlane was at the rally covering it for CBS when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired shots from a nearby rooftop. The bullets hit Trump in the ear, killed a rally attendee named Corey Comperatore (a former volunteer fire chief), and injured a few others. Secret Service agents quickly took down the shooter.

On a podcast called “The Chuck Todd Cast,” MacFarlane described the scary moments after the shots. He said a group of people—not everyone in the crowd—started coming toward the press area, yelling things like, “You did this. This is your fault. You caused this. You killed him.” He thought they were going to attack and even kill the reporters with their bare hands. He added that the crowd seemed to really believe the media had planned or encouraged the shooting, not just reported on events. “I can’t get rid of the look in their faces from my mind,” MacFarlane said. “That’s what America feels like right now. It’s not logical to think the media shot someone from a roof.”

The Truth About Weight Loss After 40 – Wellness Can Help You – Sponsor

He believes Trump’s quick reaction—standing up and raising his fist even though he was hurt—calmed the crowd and stopped things from getting worse. “When he jumped up strong, it saved us,” MacFarlane claimed. “They would have killed us if he hadn’t.” After the event, MacFarlane was put on trauma leave by CBS, and he says many other reporters there felt the same fear and talked about it in group texts, thinking they might have died without Trump’s gesture. Some experts and commentators point out that tense feelings at Trump events might come from how the media has covered him over the years. Many news outlets have called Trump a “threat to democracy,” which has made debates heated. Trump and his supporters often say the press stirs up hate and even puts him in danger, making the relationship between his fans and journalists really rocky.

Is Ivermectin the Key to Fighting Cancer? People are being cured all over the world…. – Wellness (Dr. McCullough’s company) Sponsored Post 🛑 You can get MEBENDAZOLE and Ivermectin from Wellness 👍

CBS News hasn’t made any official comment about MacFarlane’s PTSD or his story about the crowd. MacFarlane is CBS’s Justice Correspondent in Washington, D.C. He’s covered big stories like political campaigns and major news events, winning awards like regional Emmys and Edward R. Murrow honors for his work. He started at CBS in 2021 after about 10 years at NBC’s Washington station. Since the shooting, he’s been back on air but only for limited appearances.
The story has sparked a lot of reactions online, especially on X (formerly Twitter). Many people, including conservatives and Trump supporters, have mocked MacFarlane, calling him “soft” or a “crybaby” for getting PTSD from dirty looks or words, not the gunfire itself. For example, one user said he should try serving in the military to understand real PTSD. Others accused him of overreacting or making it about himself, while some wondered about the doctor who diagnosed him so quickly.

Be prepared for anything, including lockdowns with your own Emergency Med kit – see Wellness Emergency Kit (includes Ivermectin and other essential drugs, guide book, much more… peace of mind for you and your family) 🛑 – Dr. McCullough’s company! – Sponsor

Former DOJ official Jeff Clark called him out, saying real threats like death letters are worse, and suggested MacFarlane felt guilty for media’s anti-Trump coverage. Podcast host Chuck Todd agreed with MacFarlane’s fears during the interview and even shared that he skipped a baseball game after the shooting because he didn’t want to be seen in public. Overall, this highlights how divided people are about the media’s role in politics, especially after such a shocking event. Investigations into the shooting are still ongoing, with questions about the shooter’s motives and security failures. Sgt K with Luke, X Posts, clips and Grok

Links