In a nation already tense, the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump has incensed his supporters, halted the Democratic campaign, and heightened concerns about escalating political violence leading up to the November election. Trump's Republican supporters portrayed him as a hero on Saturday, capitalizing on the image of him with a bloodied ear and a raised fist, seemingly mouthing the words "Fight! Fight! Fight!" While Trump frequently employed violent rhetoric with his followers, his advisors and allies turned the tables on his Democratic rival, President Joe Biden, claiming it was the demonization of the Republican candidate that sparked the assassination attempt.
"Today's event is not just an isolated incident. The core message of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is a fascist authoritarian who must be stopped at any cost. That message directly led to the attempted assassination of President Trump," stated US Senator JD Vance of Ohio, a leading contender to be Trump's running mate, on X. Biden swiftly moved to calm the situation, condemning the attack as unacceptable political violence and withdrawing election ads that targeted Trump.
"There's no place for this kind of violence in America. It's sick," Biden told reporters. The motives of the shooter remain unknown. The suspect, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was a registered Republican according to state voter records. He had previously donated $15 to a political action committee that funds left-leaning and Democratic politicians.
In the immediate aftermath, the attack is likely to enhance Trump's presence at this week's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee as he accepts his party's presidential nomination, reinforcing the sense of grievance and alienation felt by his supporters towards the nation's political establishment. Within hours of the shooting, Trump's campaign sent out a text urging voters to contribute to the campaign. "They're not after me, they're after you," the message read.
Billionaires Elon Musk and Bill Ackman quickly endorsed Trump. "I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery," Musk said on X, the social media platform he owns. Chris LaCivita, co-manager of Trump's campaign, said on X that "for years and even today, leftist activists, Democrat donors, and now even Joe Biden have made abhorrent remarks and descriptions of shooting Donald Trump... it's high time they be held accountable for it... the best way is through the ballot box."
LaCivita appeared to reference recent remarks by Biden, made in the context of urging his supporters to focus on defeating Trump rather than on his own performance. "So, we're done talking about the debate, it's time to put Trump in a bullseye," said Biden, who has consistently condemned any political violence. The US is experiencing the most significant and prolonged surge in political violence since the 1970s. Of the 14 fatal political attacks since Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, where the perpetrator or suspect had a clear partisan bias, 13 were right-wing attackers. One was left-wing.
Despite being a former president, Trump has campaigned as an insurgent outsider, complaining that he has long been targeted by the federal "deep state" and Biden's administration to prevent his return to power. He has often used violent, degrading, and even apocalyptic rhetoric, warning of a "bloodbath" if he is not elected and claiming that illegal immigrants are "poisoning the blood of our country." Some Republicans were already on edge due to his continued incitement.
"If the country wasn't a powder keg before, it is now," said Chip Felkel, a Republican strategist in South Carolina who has opposed Trump. Brad Bannon, a Democratic strategist, said the shooting could politically benefit Trump because it aligns with his campaign narrative that the country is off-track. "The attempted assassination generates sympathy for Trump," Bannon said. "It also confirms to voters that something is fundamentally wrong in this nation, which is an idea that bolsters support for him."
Trump was found guilty in May of concealing an affair with a porn star, a conviction that had little impact on the race and indicated that supporters of both sides remain steadfast in their positions. Biden has faced internal party debates over whether he should step down as the Democratic candidate due to concerns about his fitness for the job. He claims his doctors have assured him he is in good health. Trump has gained in some polls from Biden's disastrous debate performance last month, but others show the race as evenly matched.
Many voters have already felt alienated by both Biden and Trump. The chaos surrounding the candidates may lead voters to believe that the nation's problems are insurmountable and the divide between the parties unbridgeable. US Representative Steve Scalise, a Republican who was shot in 2017, told Fox News that the violent election rhetoric needed to cease. "All it takes is one unhinged person to hear that and act on it, thinking it's their signal to take someone out," he said.
