Politico "Criticism of Political Violence Spreads into Partisan Accusations"
Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate in the United States, narrowly escaped a second assassination attempt on the 15th (local time), while some Republican figures are showing signs of launching political offensives against the Democratic Party, saying, "They will continue trying to kill Trump." There are concerns that this incident could further accelerate the already politically polarized division in the U.S.
Republican Congressman Mike Waltz of Florida said in an interview with Fox News on the same day, "The political investigations against former President Trump and the talk that he will become the next dictator or the next Hitler must stop."
He argued, "The left, the media, and even elected officials say that they must stop Trump by any means necessary," adding, "As people become more radical, it is not surprising that such (assassination attempt) actions occur."
Charlie Kirk, founder of the conservative group Turning Point USA, wrote on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that "They will continue trying to kill Trump," using language that further fuels division. He emphasized, "This is just the beginning," and "We must win in November to stop this." Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said on X, "No leader in American history has endured so many attacks and maintained such strength and resilience," adding, "Trump cannot be stopped."
Although the U.S. political sphere has unanimously condemned political violence following this assassination attempt, some Republicans are turning their criticism toward the Democratic Party, which has accused former President Trump of being the main culprit destroying democracy. Especially since politicians who have long exploited division, distrust, and confrontation for their own benefit are widespread in U.S. politics, there are concerns that this incident could further spread various conspiracy theories and extreme divisive politics.
Politico, a U.S. political news outlet, pointed out, "While the suspect's motive is unclear, some Republican figures immediately used this incident to accuse the Democrats of endangering Trump by considering him a threat to democracy," adding, "Within hours of the Sunday incident, broad and fierce criticism of political violence quickly escalated into partisan blame."
On the 15th, former President Trump narrowly escaped a second assassination attempt while playing golf at his own Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. U.S. Secret Service (SS) agents discovered the muzzle of an AK-47 rifle emerging from bushes about 300 meters away from Trump and responded preemptively before apprehending the suspect. The suspect is a 58-year-old man from Hawaii, and the SS has classified the incident as an 'attempted assassination.' This assassination attempt occurred just two months after Trump was shot during a speech in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, reigniting controversy over security failures.
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