Hustler magazine sent Christmas cards to members of the US Congress which depict President Donald Trump lying in a pool of blood as people cheer ‘Merry Christmas!’, sparking a mix of outrage and hilarity.
The cards depict an unnamed cartoon assassin aping comments Trump made on the 2016 campaign trail as it says, “I just shot Donald Trump on Fifth Avenue and no one arrested me,” with a smoking gun in hand. Trump famously bragged that such was his support, he could literally get away with murder on the streets of NY and still be elected.
Republican Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson shared an image of the card he received and decried the extremism of the so-called “radical left” on display.
Even an erstwhile opponent of Trump, Mark Zaid, the attorney who represents the whistleblower in the Ukraine controversy at the heart of the impeachment hearings, expressed his disgust at the cartoon, saying it “absolutely crosses the line.”
Others called for calm, arguing that the softcore porn magazine was hardly representative of the Democratic Party platform.
Meanwhile, the hilarity of the situation proved too much for others, who couldn’t resist the opportunity to point out how ridiculous the entire situation was.
Hustler magazine confirmed the card's authenticity as the company’s official holiday card, which was sent to multiple congressional offices, but has so far declined to comment on the controversy.
The magazine’s founder Larry Flynt is a known critic of the US president and previously offered a $1 million reward for anyone who could provide him with compromising footage of then-candidate Donald Trump. He later took out a full-page ad in the Washington Post offering $10 million for information leading to Trump's impeachment and removal from office.
It’s not the first time an artistic portrayal of a Trump assassination has drawn controversy. A 2017 production of Julius Caesar by the Shakespeare in the Park group depicted a Trumpian 'Caesar' being repeatedly stabbed to death, much to the outrage and consternation of conservatives and Trump supporters. The play went on to lose sponsors Delta Air Lines, among others.
Also on rt.com Trump-like Caesar performance: Pushing boundaries of art or creating climate of hate?Like this story? Share it with a friend!