Under-fire ABC News host George Stephanopoulos suggests Trump is to blame for 'violent rhetoric' after assassination attempt

ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos has been slammed for claiming that Donald Trump helped spread the 'violent rhetoric' that led to an assassination attempt just hours after the ex-president was shot. 

During Sunday's episode of ABC's This Week Stephanopoulos and chief global affairs anchor Martha Raddatz discussed the current political environment. 

The former president, 78, survived the attempt on his life when the bullet missed him by less than an inch on Saturday afternoon, at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.  

Raddatz discussed conspiracy theories that President Joe Biden caused the horrific attack and noted a tweet from Trump's Vice President pick J.D Vance that Biden's rhetoric led to the attack.

'Of course, President Trump and his supporters have contributed to this violent rhetoric, as well,' Stephanopoulos said, blaming Trump. 

During Sunday's episode of ABC's This Week Stephanopoulos (left) blamed Trump's own 'violent rhetoric' for the attempt on his life

The former president, 78, survived the attempt on his life when the bullet missed him by less than an inch on Saturday afternoon

'Absolutely, George,' Raddatz agreed.

She went on to list examples of Trump referencing bloodshed in response to the charges against him.

'We were just looking back this morning at some of the things President Trump has said. He warned last March of potential death and destruction if he were charged by the Manhattan district attorney,' Raddatz said.

'Trump in January warned of bedlam in the country if the criminal charges against him succeeded, and of course, in March he said, "Now if I don't get elected… it's going to be a bloodbath for the country."

Viewers on social media were quick to condemn the comments, calling for Stephanopoulos to be fired. 

'It took ABC News and George Stephanopoulos exactly 12 hours to blame Trump for 'violent language. Disgusting,' Marc Cox said on X. 

David Asman slammed Stephanopoulos for shifting blame to the Republicans.

Even for a former Clinton operative, this is a new low, he said. 

'Trump was inches from getting killed and George blames him for it,' another wrote.

Another called for Stephanopoulos to be 'fired immediately'. 

Stephanopoulos was in hot water with the network after he gave a damning on Biden's performance in his post debate interview.

Stephanopoulos was in hot water with the network after he gave a damning on Biden's performance in his post debate interview

Stephanopoulos said he did not think Biden can serve four more years after giving the president his post-debate interview

The host was asked on the street in Manhattan if Biden should step down and responded: 'I don't think he can serve four more years.'

The video soon caught fire on the internet and forced the longtime ABC News fixture has offered a statement of regret. 

'Earlier today I responded to a question from a passerby. I shouldn't have,' he told Puck News in response to the video, initially posted on TMZ.

ABC News issued their own statement on what Stephanopoulos had been caught saying.

'George expressed his own point of view and not the position of ABC News.'