President-elect Trump Weighs in on UnitedHealthcare CEO Assassination, Calls Online Support “Sickness”
President-elect Trump spoke out Monday on the assassination-style murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, calling online support for the killer “sickness.” Trump described the ambush shooting as “cold-blooded” and “horrible,” saying it’s “terrible” that some people seem to admire the suspect.
Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old computer programmer and University of Pennsylvania alumnus, allegedly stalked Thompson to a Manhattan hotel and shot him in the back with a suppressed, 3D-printed handgun. Online, some critics of the health insurance industry praised the crime, and a surveillance photo of Mangione flirting with a hostel employee circulated widely.
Trump expressed particular horror at the brazen and violent nature of the attack, saying, “It was cold-blooded, just a cold-blooded, horrible killing.” He also criticized online commenters who praised the suspect and condemned the witnesses who came forward to identify him.
The murder has sparked widespread outrage, with online fundraising sites shutting down efforts to raise money for Mangione’s legal defense and many commentators condemning the attack. Mangione faces a slew of charges, including second-degree murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, and carrying a fake ID, and his lawyer has said he plans to fight extradition to New York.
