Trump: I was just having fun when I joked about shooting people

Don't worry, Donald Trump says he was "obviously" just joking when he told a crowd at an Iowa rally Saturday that he could "stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose any voters."
"That comment was said with me laughing and thousands of other people laughing," Trump said Tuesday in an interview with Fox Business Network host Maria Bartiromo. "It was said as a joke — obviously it was a joke."
Besides, the Republican presidential candidate continued, even in light of the recent spate of mass shootings, there's nothing wrong with "having fun." "And every once in a while I like to be a little politically incorrect," Trump said. "There's nothing wrong with that."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
If he were to be president, though, Trump says he'd lay off comments like these. It's just that he needs to be a "little verbose" in the primary because he's running against so many other candidates for the nomination.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Disarming Hezbollah: Lebanon's risky mission
Talking Point Iran-backed militia has brought 'nothing but war, division and misery', but rooting them out for good is a daunting and dangerous task
-
Woof! Britain's love affair with dogs
The Explainer The UK's canine population is booming. What does that mean for man's best friend?
-
Crossword: August 31, 2025
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
RFK Jr. names new CDC head as staff revolt
Speed Read Kennedy installed his deputy, Jim O'Neill, as acting CDC director
-
DC prosecutors lose bid to indict sandwich thrower
Speed Read Prosecutors sought to charge Sean Dunn with assaulting a federal officer
-
White House fires new CDC head amid agency exodus
Speed Read CDC Director Susan Monarez was ousted after butting heads with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccines
-
DOGE put Social Security data at risk, official says
Speed Read DOGE workers made the personal information of hundreds of millions of Americans vulnerable to identity theft
-
Court rejects Trump suit against Maryland US judges
Speed Read Judge Thomas Cullen, a Trump appointee, said the executive branch had no authority to sue the judges
-
Trump expands National Guard role in policing
Speed Read The president wants the Guard to take on a larger role in domestic law enforcement
-
Trump says he's firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Speed Read The move is likely part of Trump's push to get the central bank to cut interest rates
-
Abrego released from jail, faces Uganda deportation
Speed Read The wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego García is expected to be detained at an ICE check-in and deported to Uganda