CNN’s Chris Cillizza Deletes GIF of President Trump in Rifle ‘Crosshairs’

CNN Politics Reporter and Editor-at-Large Chris Cillizza deleted a tweet Tuesday afternoon containing a gif of President Donald Trump in the center of a rifle’s crosshairs.

.@CillizzaCNN Hi. You deleted it but don't worry, I saved it for you. Along with a reminder. You're welcome. pic.twitter.com/1CQhbDJKng

— LaurieAnn ✨ (@mooshakins) May 15, 2018

https://twitter.com/kevinh07/status/996454492756430849

Originally, Cillizza tweeted, “Donald Trump, pointing to heavens to commemorate police officers killed in the line of duty.”

Shortly after deleting the tweet, Cillizza apologized, blaming the gif on “Gif Grabber,” CNN’s app of choice for making GIFs.

“I’ve deleted a GIF about President Trump. We use @GifGrabber to make our GIFs and it defaults to the image below as a first frame,” Cillizza said.

“To clear up any unintended confusion, I’ve removed the tweet,” the CNN reporter added.

I’ve deleted a GIF about President Trump. We use @GifGrabber to make our GIFs and it defaults to the image below as a first frame. To clear up any unintended confusion, I’ve removed the tweet. pic.twitter.com/x6PCKoiW16

— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) May 15, 2018

Cillizza’s GIF comes just days after MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace made a reference to strangling White House press secretary Sarah Sanders. Wallace asked NBC White House reporter Kristen Welker on-air how she manages not to “run up and wring her neck” during daily press briefings.