Trump blames Democrats' divisive political rhetoric for second assassination attempt
1. Former US president claims political rhetoric of Harris and Biden administration "is causing me to be shot at"
As the November 5 presidential elections approach, the U.S. is grappling with escalating political violence and extreme rhetoric. Recent events include two assassination attempts on former President Donald Trump and a fringe party's disturbing call for the murder of Vice President Kamala Harris, contributing to a climate of fear and hostility.
The heightened tensions in this closely contested presidential race have led to real violence and threats against candidates and officials. According to AFP, extremists, inflamed by divisive campaign rhetoric, have targeted key figures, and incidents of violence have surged.
On Sunday, Trump narrowly escaped a second assassination attempt in two months. Details about the suspect's motives remain scarce. Just hours after the incident, Trump told Fox News Digital that the rhetoric from Harris and the Biden administration was fueling the threats against him. On his Truth Social platform, he warned that “Communist Left Rhetoric” was exacerbating the violence, predicting it would escalate further.
Since the 2021 Capitol insurrection, there has been growing concern among lawmakers and analysts about the dangerous impact of aggressive political discourse. Democrats accuse Trump of fostering an environment of fear and chaos, with President Joe Biden warning of potential instability, especially given Trump’s reluctance to commit to accepting the results of the upcoming election.
The normalization of violent rhetoric among far-right figures and hardline Republicans has become more pronounced. Critics argue that Trump incited the January 6 Capitol riot with his false claims of election fraud and inflammatory language urging his supporters to "fight like hell."
There are fears that a similar, better-organized and more armed uprising could occur if Trump loses to Harris in November. Political divisions have been starkly visible since Trump's presidency, marked by events such as the Charlottesville rally and the murder of George Floyd, which spurred widespread protests.
Lawmakers and judicial figures have faced increasing death threats, prompting enhanced security measures. In 2022, Republican Senator Susan Collins expressed concern that the toxic political environment might lead to violence against lawmakers. This concern was echoed two weeks later when far-right conspiracy theorist attacked Nancy Pelosi's husband, intending to harm the then-House Speaker.
Amid these tensions, Elon Musk sparked controversy by suggesting on his X platform that there was less effort to target Biden and Harris, a post he later deleted. Additionally, the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire controversially praised the idea of assassinating Harris, a statement currently under investigation by law enforcement.
