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Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
Donald Trump speaks during a presidential debate with US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris at the National Constitution Center in Pennsylvania, on Sept 10. (AFP)
Trump claims Biden and Harris’ rhetoric incites violence against him, following a second assassination attempt
Launching a fiery attack against Democrats, Donald Trump on Monday said that US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ “rhetoric” is responsible for the second assassination attempt against him since July.
In an interview with Fox News, the former US President said that the suspected gunman “acted” on the “highly inflammatory language” of Democrats. The Republican nominee’s sharp remarks came a day after he escaped an attack at International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
‘He believed the rhetoric of Biden, Harris’
The US Secret Service found a gunman, identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, in the bushes with an AK-47-style rifle pointed toward the green, a GoPro camera, and two backpacks. Media reports said that Routh fled the scene but was later pulled over and arrested on Interstate 95. US federal authorities are treating the episode as an assassination attempt against Trump. “He believed the rhetoric of Biden and Harris, and he acted on it,” Trump said of the gunman. “Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country, and they are the ones that are destroying the country — both from the inside and out.”
‘Threat to democracy’
Trump pointed to Biden and Harris’ past comments casting him as a “threat to democracy,” while telling Americans they are “unity” leaders. “They are the opposite,” Trump said. “These are people that want to destroy our country.” He added, “It is called the enemy from within. They are the real threat.”
Routh’s background check revealed that he currently lives in Hawaii and has faced numerous run-ins with police since the 1990s. He previously echoed Biden and Harris’ anti-Trump comments on his social media pages, stating that “Democracy is on the ballot” and that Democrats “cannot lose.”
In the Fox interview, Trump also slammed the media, saying, “The media is made up of fools that will spew [Democrats’] garbage and spew their sick philosophies and will protect them at all costs, and they can’t believe they get away with it.” The latest assassination attempt came after Trump was shot in the ear at a Pennsylvania rally by a gunman who killed one person and wounded others before being fatally shot by police on July 13.
‘Thank everyone for your concern’
Earlier, in a post on X, Trump thanked everyone for their “concern and well wishes.” “Most importantly, I want to thank the U.S. Secret Service, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and his Office of brave and dedicated Patriots, and, all of Law Enforcement, for the incredible job done today at Trump International in keeping me, as the 45th President of the United States, and the Republican Nominee in the upcoming Presidential Election, SAFE. THE JOB DONE WAS ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING. I AM VERY PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN.”
On Monday, President Joe Biden said that the US Secret Service needs more personnel to perform its duties after a second assassination attempt on Trump. “One thing I want to make clear, the (secret) service needs more help, and I think the Congress should respond to their needs,” Biden told reporters at the White House “I think we may need more personnel.” Biden added that “thank God the president’s OK” following Sunday’s incident in Florida.
Read More: ‘Highly Inflammatory Language’: Trump Blames Biden, Harris’ ‘Rhetoric’ For Florida
