Overview

• Scott MacFarlane said he received a PTSD diagnosis within two days of the Butler rally because of the crowd’s hostile reaction rather than the gunfire.
• He recounted that some attendees threatened to kill members of the press if President Trump did not stand immediately after being shot.
• Many reporters on press row believed they would have been killed had President Trump not risen triumphantly, MacFarlane said.
• MacFarlane likened the crowd’s irrational targeting of journalists to the breakdown in public discourse seen on January 6.
• His disclosure highlights growing concerns about psychological trauma and safety risks for journalists covering politically charged events.