A health care provider who helps patients breathe has come under fire after he said he regretted not killing Donald Trump when he opened fire on him at a rally in Pennsylvania over the weekend.
Thomas O’Donoghue, a respiratory therapist in Florida for 30 years, wrote online after the shooting: “It’s too bad he missed the shooting.”
It was uploaded in response to an X-post by Donald Trump Jr., the former president’s eldest son, who labeled CNN’s reporting “disgraceful.”
O’Donoghue quickly faced widespread criticism for his comments, with many urging his employer, Lee Health in Southwest Florida, to terminate his employment.
Thomas O’Donoghue made the comment, revealed by Libs of TikTok, in response to a tweet from the former president’s eldest son
O’Donoghue quickly faced widespread criticism for his comments, with many urging his employer, Lee Health in Southwest Florida, to terminate his employment.
One person wrote on X: ‘He is in a position where he can determine whether people live or die, and it makes me very, very angry that he is so willing to express this opinion.’
A second added: ‘Hey Lee Health, does your employee Thomas O’Donoghue treat conservative patients differently?’
And a third person said, “I live in Southwest Florida and Lee Health is my primary healthcare provider. I don’t know if I feel safe being treated there with this type of hateful person as one of their employees.”
Mr O’Donoghue’s comments come amid a series of investigations into dozens of people – from teachers to a nurse, a firefighter and a district employee – who made similar comments after the attack on the former president.
The comments were revealed by Libs from TikTok.
DailyMail.com also reported today that a nurse in New York City and a pharmacy worker in Texas have both been fired after their comments were published online.
Nurse Janiece Binns lost her job earlier today after her online posts implying she was angry that the shooter missed were revealed
On his LinkedIn page, Mr. O’Donoghue says he has worked for Lee Memorial Health System for 30 years, providing patients with the right care.
Respiratory therapists work under the supervision of physicians and administer oxygen, operate ventilators, and administer medications to the lungs of various patients.
Examples of these are premature babies, whose lungs are not yet properly developed, and elderly people with lung disease.
There are approximately 130,000 respiratory therapists in the U.S., all of whom are required to treat patients impartially—that is, without discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, or other factors.
The American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) — which represents the industry — states in its code of conduct that respiratory therapists must: “Provide care without discrimination on any grounds, with respect for the rights and dignity of all individuals.”
Mr O’Donoghue’s comments were first revealed by the right-wing X account Libs from TikTokwho said his employer had to take quick action.
He has since deleted the comments and his X account.
Lee Health and Mr O’Donoghue were unavailable for comment.
