2nd assassination attempt

“Rhetoric”: Trump partly blames Biden and Harris

Former President Donald Trump rages against the Democrats and their "left-wing rhetoric" after the assassination attempt on him.

(Bild: APA/AP)

Apparently it is only thanks to the quick intervention of Secret Service agents that this time no shot was fired at former President Donald Trump. As reported, bodyguards had discovered a gun barrel at the fence of the Trump golf course in West Palm Beach in the US state of Florida and immediately opened fire. The fleeing suspected assassin was caught a short time later. Meanwhile, the Republican presidential candidate blamed the Democrats' rhetoric for the incident.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in particular, who had become the Democratic presidential candidate after Biden's withdrawal from the race for the White House, were criticized by Trump: "Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at. I'm the one who's going to save the country and they're the ones who are destroying the country." 

The suspected assassin on his arrest

(Bild: APA/AP)

Immediately after the incident, Biden and Harris emphasized that there was no place for violence in the USA. "I have instructed my team to continue to ensure that the Secret Service has all the resources, capabilities and protections necessary to continue to ensure the safety of the former president," explained Biden. The bodyguards need more help. "And I think Congress should respond to that need." The US parliament decides on the budget of the agency responsible for protecting high-ranking politicians.

Former President Donald Trump rages against the Democrats and their "left-wing rhetoric" after the assassination attempt on him.

(Bild: APA/AP)

However, the Democrats accuse Trump and his supporters of overheated rhetoric. They particularly criticize the ex-president's aggressive language, which they see as a breeding ground for extremist acts. Trump, on the other hand, described the Democrats to Fox News Digital as "enemies within" and called them "the real threat".

Trump: "Bullets are flying because of left-wing rhetoric"
A short time later, the Republican made similar comments on his Truth Social platform, interweaving the accusations with his usual campaign messages. "Bullets are flying because of this communist leftist rhetoric, and it's only going to get worse!" he wrote there, calling Harris a "comrade" and once again inciting his supporters against migrants. 

The alleged assassination attempt was also condemned abroad. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X: "Political violence has no place anywhere in the world." According to the media, the arrested man (see picture above) is a staunch supporter of Ukraine. During the short hearing in court, he answered a few questions in the affirmative, but otherwise remained calm. According to US media reports, he has a criminal record for other offenses.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the incident showed that the election campaign in the USA was "intensifying". British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed his "deep concern".

Musk criticized for calling for violence
Meanwhile, US billionaire and Trump supporter Elon Musk once again caused a stir. In his online service X, Musk wrote after the incident in Florida: "And no one is trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala." He later deleted the post. Several X users interpreted the sentence as an incitement to violence against Biden and Harris.

Elon Musk provoked with an X posting, which he promptly deleted again.

(Bild: APA/Getty Images via AFP/GETTY IMAGES/Apu Gomes)

Just two months ago, Trump was slightly injured in the ear in an assassination attempt during a campaign appearance in the state of Pennsylvania. One spectator was killed and two others seriously injured; the assassin was shot by a Secret Service sniper.