Trump to Attend Wake of Slain NYC Police Officer

Former President Donald Trump is expected to attend the wake of slain NYPD officer Jonathan Diller on Long Island today. 

Diller was a 31-year-old police officer who was on patrol in Far Rockaway on Monday when he was shot by an ex-con and his criminal friend. It happened during a traffic stop. He leaves behind his wife and one-year-old son 

“President Trump is moved by the invitation to join NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller’s family and colleagues as they deal with his senseless and tragic death,” Karoline Leavitt, the former commander-in-chief’s campaign spokesperson, said in a statement on Wednesday.

Diller was on the job for three years and had more than 70 busts to his credit. His relatives said he was part of “the real Blue Bloods family.” That is a reference to the popular CBS series about a family of New York City police officers. Diller’s brother-in-law and his cousin are cops.

The funeral and burial are scheduled for Saturday.

I’m not surprised that Trump will attend this young man’s wake for two reasons. The first reason is that I noticed a tweet on Wednesday that said Trump called Diller’s widow while she was meeting with the funeral director who will be doing the wake. 

Okay, I’m going to give a Trump W this morning. A mutual friend of mine lives in NY. His neighbor is the funeral director doing the wake for the NYC cop just killed the other day. He met with the widow and the department. While she was in his office, the Port Authority…

— sea_glass15 (@Sea_Glass1115) March 27, 2024

She probably invited Trump to the wake during that phone call. 

The second reason I am not surprised that Trump plans to attend the wake is because that is what Trump does. He shows up. Look at what happened after the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Trump showed up promptly and before he arrived, he sent trucks filled with food, water, and supplies for the town’s residents. While he was in town, he met with the local officials and residents. He delivered remarks meant to offer comfort to those affected and encouraged them. On the way out of town, he and his entourage stopped at a local McDonald’s. The place was packed and Trump picked up the tab for everyone. Joe Biden didn’t bother to go to East Palestine for more than a year after the derailment.

East Palestine is Trump country. New York City is not but Trump is known for doing good things there, despite what the haters say. I can just imagine the heads exploding in the White House over this announcement. Sleepy Joe will probably be taking a nap or maybe taking a trip to a battleground state to chase votes. 

The New York Times put a cynical spin on Trump’s attention to Diller’s family. 

It was unclear how Mr. Trump was connected to the Diller family. But the former president, who has been indicted in three other jurisdictions on a variety of criminal charges, has repeatedly appeared with police officers throughout his 2024 presidential campaign. Many officers seek to take photos with Mr. Trump at political stops after they have helped guard his motorcade.

His visit to Officer Diller’s services is likely to garner intense local media coverage ahead of April 15, when jury selection is set to begin in what may be the only trial that Mr. Trump faces before the general election in November.

You betcha there will be media coverage. Trump’s movements always get media attention. Despite the ignorance in NYT’s reporting, Trump has posed with cops for years. He has been campaigning on law and order since 2015. Law enforcement support him because he supports them. 

This is a reason I think Trump will win in November. Independent voters and women voters, both groups that he and Biden need for re-election, see something like this gesture to a grieving family and a community dealing with violence and they will remember it in November.  

RIP, Officer Diller.