CBS News correspondent says he was diagnosed with PTSD following the crowd's reaction at a Butler, Pennsylvania rally where an attempt was made on former President Trump's life.

Butler

CBS News Capitol Hill correspondent Scott McFarlane reported that he was diagnosed with PTSD and placed on trauma leave within 48 hours after witnessing the crowd's reaction at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where an assassination attempt was made on former President Trump. McFarlane clarified that his trauma was not due to the shooting itself, but rather his perception that the crowd might have turned on members of the media if the attempt had succeeded.

His remarks were met with skepticism and criticism from commentators, who questioned whether his experience was comparable to those who have experienced direct violence or war. Some argued that journalists have not been physically harmed at Trump rallies and suggested that McFarlane's concerns were exaggerated. The discussion also referenced the trauma experienced by others more directly affected by the event, such as the family of a security officer killed during the incident.

CBS reporter says he developed PTSD after Trump shooting

For those of us there, it was such a horror because you saw an emerging America and it wasn't the shooting, Chuck. This was, 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. Now, tonight's Red Hot Video, CBS News Capitol Hill correspondent Scott McFarlane telling Chuck Todd that he got PTSD from President Trump's assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. No, McFarlane wasn't injured. He says the PTSD came from his belief that the crowd would have turned on him, imaginary, and the media, if President Trump didn't survive that moment. And I'm sitting here reading this script earlier and saying, do I really have to read this and watch this guy, Scott McFarlane, start whinging and whining about what he thought might happen? Does it show that he has no humanity, that Trump was almost dead in front of him? We're supposed to worry about him? He's the real victim. Who do we feel worse for, Pete Buttigieg breastfeeding and taking matrimonial time off to have his baby or this guy for almost fake PTSD? I mean, what's happening with these people? It's like an insult to the veterans. I mean, that really do get PTSD from war and from trauma. And I got to tell you, like, listening to these elitist, ridiculous, no-name reporters make these outrageous comments, like saying, and they're coming after us, and I'm so scared. They're the most pathetic human beings I think I've ever encountered in my life. So, I mean, it's very unfortunate that they say these stupid comments. I got to be honest. Elizabeth, I was at a rally, and I saw some Antifa people, and they shouted at me, and I still feel PTSD today. How crazy is this that they're inventing almost diseases? Yeah, you think about how the family of Cory Kumpra-Tor feels. That's real PTSD. That is a very traumatic experience. Nothing happened to this guy. I've been in the media section at Trump rallies, and I will say the crowd often does have a bit of an anti-media stint for good reason, because the media has misrepresented them time and time again. But never have I felt remotely unsafe. They would never harm the media physically. I think it's just a ridiculous idea that this guy was in danger, when he is definitely just fine. Chuck Todd is screaming for attention on whatever podcast that was now. Voldy. Voldy, Matt. I mean, well, I think that— Voldy's limited on what he— No, Elizabeth is totally right. I was thinking about Joe Rogan. No, okay, let's not make it sound that crazy. No, I'm just saying— No. No. No. No. No, Elizabeth is right. I mean, they are Tori's family. And he himself, who was murdered protecting his family, an absolute American hero, former firefighter in that community, that's someone who has a reason to feel this way about the Butler attempted assassination. There have been—how many Trump rallies? 700 million at this point, right? They always chant fake news and things like that at CNN. How many journalists have ever been harmed at a Trump rally? Zero. Always. And the only reason, to Elizabeth's point, that people are angry at them is because they're so bad at their jobs. They will lie about the crowd. They'll lie about Trump. Okay, so that's why they're screaming at you. But they have a First Amendment right to yell at you, just like you got a First Amendment right to lie about them and Trump all the time. I still—if you're—you know, we got people who go into war zones and come back and they're not whining about PTSD. Right. So, like, give me a break already. You know, this is like a soy boy, tree hugger guy, like, you know. Don't say soy around folks. Anyway, we're going to get even more soy for you now, Matthew. Oh, boy. Joe Rogan recently—

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