Trump Caught On Tape In Shocking Riff On Dead Spouses While Talking About Supporter Shot And Killed At Rally

Former President Donald Trump was caught on tape making jokes while speaking about the death of a supporter, riffing that “at least four” couples at a fundraiser would be “thrilled” to get a million dollars after their spouses were killed.

At a private fundraiser in Aspen, Colorado on August 10, Trump talked about the July 13 assassination attempt that left Trump bloodied and Trump supporter and former firefighter Corey Comperatore dead as he shielded his family.

According to leaked audio obtained by The Guardian, Trump told attendees about widow Helen Comperatore’s reaction to receiving a million-dollar check — then went on a shocking riff:

Trump told how members of his Florida golf club, Mar-a-Lago, asked to make a contribution to Comperatore’s family. “I said absolutely and they gave me a cheque for a million dollars. That’s a lot of money. Maybe even more impressively we put out a GoFundMe and we raised more than $6m for the group that got hurt, which is essentially three people.”

Then, recalling a meeting with Comperatore’s widow, Helen, he made a risky attempt to find humour in the tragedy. “So they’re going to get millions of dollars but the woman, the wife, this beautiful woman, I handed her the cheque – we handed her the cheque – and she said, ‘This is so nice, and I appreciate it, but I’d much rather have my husband.’ Now, I know some of the women in this room wouldn’t say the same.”

As dinner guests erupted in laughter, Trump quipped: “I know at least four couples. There are four couples, Governor [Abbott], that I know and you’re not one of them. At least four couples here would have been thrilled, actually.”

The remarks are an expansion on a quip that Trump made in public at a rally in Harrisburg, PA just two weeks after Comperatore was killed. Trump told the story of the donation and said:

Corey’s wife said, “I’d rather have my husband.” Isn’t that good? I know a lot of wives that would not say that. I’m sorry. They would not say that.

Trump apparently liked the joke enough to build on it — but not enough to repeat it again in public.

Watch above via C-SPAN.