New York Times publishes scathing guest essay on former President Trump two days after assassination attempt

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Biden reveals content of phone call to Trump after assassination attempt

President Biden and Donald Trump both spoke positively of the call.

The New York Times on Monday published a scathing guest essay on former President Trump just two days after an attempted assassination of the Republican nominee. 

"This is not an election with a wrongheaded but well-meaning Republican. It’s an all-out war with an illiberal megalomaniac who will happily destroy American democracy if it buys him one more ounce of power and keeps him out of prison," said Times contributing opinion writer Elizabeth Spiers.

Many opinion pieces are written and edited days in advance of publication, so it's likely it was commissioned before Trump was nearly killed in a shooting in Pennsylvania.

Spiers wrote that Democrats need to "wake up from their West Wing fantasy" in the critical piece. By referencing the television show "West Wing," she suggested that Democrats are too eager to buy into the high-minded notion of politics portrayed on the show, which aired from 1999 to 2006.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is moved from the stage after being shot at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa.  (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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The journalist and digital strategist explained further that "adherence to this fantasy is preventing the Democrats from functioning effectively in the current political climate."

"It’s an attractive fantasy that bears little relation to the world we live in, where partisan animosity is about more than policy disagreements and is rarely resolved via civil debate," Spiers wrote.

"Most voters will go to the polls in November not to vote for their guy but to vote against the other guy, a phenomenon known as negative partisanship." 

Secret Service tend to republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump onstage at a rally on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania.  (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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Spiers' piece comes after the New York Times published a lengthy editorial calling Trump "dangerous" and unfit for office, just days before he was nearly killed by an assassin in Pennsylvania. The board also repeatedly denounced Trump as a threat to American democracy and urged Americans not to vote for him.

Trump could be seen bleeding from his ear as he was hustled off-stage Saturday evening, shortly after a gunman opened fire at his rally. As Secret Service agents moved him away once the shooter had been killed, Trump raised his fist and yelled "fight!" repeatedly, to roars of appreciation from his supporters. 

Another rally attendee was killed, and two others were critically hurt. 

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The shooter has been identified by the FBI as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from western Pennsylvania. He was killed by Secret Service shortly after he opened fire.

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump raises his fist accompanied by Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and Lara Trump during Day 1 of the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 15, 2024.  (REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz)

Trump was discharged from a Pittsburgh-area hospital late Saturday and arrived at the Republican National Convention (RNC), his first public appearance since the assassination attempt.

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The New York Times did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

Fox News' Charles Creitz and Adam Shaw contributed to this report.