Trump Attends Wake of Slain NYPD Officer

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Facts

  • Former Pres. Donald Trump attended the wake of Jonathan Diller, a New York City police officer who was killed in the line of duty, on Thursday, where he expressed his condolences and reiterated the need for “law and order.”1
  • Diller was fatally shot on Monday in Queens allegedly by Guy Rivera after the officer approached his vehicle for being illegally parked. The suspect was charged with first degree murder and is in the hospital after being shot in the back by Diller’s partner, who returned fire.2
  • Trump was one of roughly 1K mourners, including NYC Mayor Eric Adams, who attended the wake in Massapequa Park on Long Island. The former president briefly addressed reporters, saying “police are the greatest people we have.”3
  • A long critic of crime rates in large, Democrat-run cities, Trump noted that the gunman had been arrested 21 times. Rivera’s alleged accomplice, Lindy Jones, was also arrested for driving the vehicle after a second gun was found.4
  • Diller was the first NYPD officer killed in the line of duty in two years, with the last police killing being in Harlem in January 2022. Pres. Joe Biden offered Mayor Adams his 'full support in the wake of the tragedy.'5
  • Meanwhile, three other US presidents were also in New York on Thursday, as Bill Clinton and Barack Obama joined Biden at a star-studded campaign event that netted the president’s reelection campaign $25M.6

Sources: 1ABC News, 2Associated Press, 3Forbes, 4New York Post, 5NBC and 6Verity.

Narratives

  • Republican narrative, as provided by PJ Media. While Biden was out hobnobbing with Hollywood celebrities and raising funds, Trump was standing with law enforcement. This simply highlights Trump's value for the police contrasted against Biden's demonization of them. The Democratic party’s anti-police rhetoric has created a hostile environment that puts police in danger.
  • Democratic narrative, as provided by The Daily Beast. Trump is politicizing the death of an NYPD officer to paint himself as a pro-police candidate, but actions speak louder than words. Not only did Trump incite an insurrection that killed officers, but he also disrespected Capitol police who lived to recount the events of Jan. 6, 2021. Attending Diller's wake was merely a political stunt.

Predictions