**DISCLAIMER: This article was first published in July of 2024**
In the wake of what has now officially been determined as a bona fide assassination attempt against scandal-plagued former President and 2024 Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, the Trump Campaign has formally enacted a “communications lockdown,” barring any member of the Trump Campaign team from speaking with the press, on or off the record, under threat of “immediate termination.”
As the former president was making his way to Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention — where he was expected to deliver a heavily altered speech, following his brush with near death —NBC obtained and released a memo that was written by Trump political director James Blair, in which he warns any and all members of the Trump Campaign against speaking to the media for any reason, with concern to the attack against Donald Trump.
A copy of the memo was released on X (formerly known as Twitter) by NBC political reporter Allan Smith.
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In the memo, Blair tells Trump’s Campaign staff, “We are on complete communications lockdown at this time.”
He goes on to instruct that all media inquiries should be “immediately” directed to their press contact, with him copied, before delivering this stark warning: “Anyone who speaks with the press, even on background or off the record, will be found and will be terminated immediately. I know we won’t have that problem with this team, but it must be said.”
He goes on to double down yet again, writing, “Refrain from commenting, speculating, posting on social media, etc. Complete and total lockdown.”
He also warns campaign staffers to remain vigilant and “exercise extreme caution” with regard to their own personal safety “during this time.”
NEW w/ @Mdixon55
Trump camp political director James Blair’s message to staff after Trump injured in shooting at Butler, PA rally: “I would like to start this email by saying everything is ok.”
“We are on complete communications lockdown at this time.”https://t.co/mnBWpEDRVC pic.twitter.com/6ZHfttWHBb
— Allan Smith (@akarl_smith) July 13, 2024
It’s not entirely unusual for a political campaign to issue a communications lockdown such as this when a major event has taken place. However, it’s certainly not lost on anyone that the Trump Campaign appears to have a special interest in controlling the narrative here.
Featured image via Flickr/Gage Skidmore, under Creative Commons license 2.0
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