Former US President Donald Trump has publicly blamed Democratic leaders for inciting violence against him.
The accused include President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. The accusations came after Trump narrowly avoided a second assassination attempt in just two months.
The presidential candidate with a reputation for being combative has pointed to the rhetoric used by prominent Democrats as a factor that he believes has encouraged these attacks.
The most recent incident occurred at a golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. A 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh was the gunman discovered with a weapon. The suspect fled the scene but was apprehended by authorities. The authorities are treating the event as a potential assassination attempt. This follows an earlier attack in July during a rally in Pennsylvania that saw Trump being grazed by a bullet. The police fatally shot the assailant, but not before he managed to cause multiple casualties.
Trump has alleged that the inflammatory language used by the Biden administration and Democratic leaders has emboldened individuals like Routh to act violently. He believes the continued depiction of him as a threat to democracy by figures such as Vice President Harris has stirred tensions to dangerous levels. Harris has been particularly vocal about her concerns regarding a potential second Trump presidency. She warned of the risks she believes it poses to American democratic institutions.
Trump acknowledged that he has used similar tactics but insists that the rhetoric from the left is more dangerous. He suggested that while he could engage in this style of discourse more effectively, he has chosen not to. Trump’s supporters have rallied around him. Republican congressman Mike Waltz argued that left-wing narratives portraying Trump as a danger to the nation have radicalised individuals. He believes that such rhetoric is leading to actions like the recent assassination attempts.
Emerging details of Routh’s background revealed that he expressed anti-Trump sentiments online by echoing several points often made by Democrats, including concerns about the state of democracy. Routh is a convicted felon charged with multiple firearm offences, including possessing a firearm with an altered serial number, which could result in up to 20 years in prison.
Questions have been raised about how the suspect knew Trump would be at the Florida golf course because his schedule was not publicly available. Investigators noted that Routh had been lurking near the golf course for several hours. His mobile phone data suggested he was in the vicinity overnight. Authorities are continuing to investigate how the suspect obtained information about Trump’s location.
Trump has used the incident to intensify his long-standing criticism of the US media. He accused major outlets of protecting the Democratic Party and engaging in biased reporting. Trump also expressed frustration with the conduct of recent political debates, particularly following his clash with Harris. Trump characterised these debates as being heavily stacked against him, claiming that the media and moderators were working in concert with his political opponents.
The suspect’s family has since spoken out, and his son distanced himself from the alleged assassination attempt. He acknowledged his father’s dislike of Trump but described him as a non-violent individual with no history of extreme behaviour. The son admitted he was shocked by the events and stated that his father had previously shown no signs of violent tendencies or ownership of firearms.
Trump’s accusations against the Democrats are likely to inflame tensions further in an already polarised political environment. This latest incident highlights the escalating rhetoric and the potential dangers posed by such a charged atmosphere with the next US presidential election looming.