Two months ago, Republicans used the first attempt on Donald Trump’s life as a rallying cry. Now they’re reacting with a blend of rebellion, indignation, and baseless accusations to what may have been a second effort.
On Sunday night, the motive of the suspect was still unknown, but some Republicans wasted no time using the incident to accuse Democrats of putting Trump in danger by portraying the GOP nominee as a democratic threat. The Secret Service opened fire on the suspect, who authorities said had an AK-47-style rifle, near Trump’s golf course in southern Florida.
This notion that President Trump will be the next tyrant or Hitler in waiting must end. The rhetoric against him must also end. In a Sunday interview with Fox News, Republican Florida Representative Mike Waltz declared, “Enough is enough.” “It shouldn’t come as a surprise that these individuals are being radicalized and engaging in actions like this, given the narrative that Trump must be stopped at all costs, as propagated by the left, the media, and even elected officials.”
Even more sinister voices were emitted by a few of the former president’s associates.
They will persist in their efforts to assassinate Trump. Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, said on X that this is just the beginning. “This will end only if we are victorious in November.”
In its own statement regarding the incident, the Trump campaign did not imply a motive. Trump also used Sunday’s remarks to urge for “peace” and “unity” in his campaign.
While the former president did not sustain any injuries on Sunday, he was the possible target of a second shooter in very different circumstances than the one that occurred in July at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a gunman wounded three people and killed one. There, Trump stood up from the ground, his fist raised in defiance, as his “fight, fight, fight” rallying cry resounded throughout his nominating convention the week after. His picture was marred by blood. Republicans, who were frequently so ideologically divided, almost unanimously came out in support of him. There were those who thought Trump’s victory was already guaranteed by the assassination attempt. The presidential campaign and partisan fighting came to a virtual standstill for a short while, but then they were back to normal.
While his campaign sent messages stating “I WILL NEVER SURRENDER” and “MY RESOLVE IS STRONGER AFTER ANOTHER ATTEMPT ON MY LIFE,” the former president came out of Sunday’s incident similarly defiant.
He was quickly echoed by Republicans. “No leader in American history has endured more attacks and remained so strong and resilient,” House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote on X after visiting Trump at his Mar-a-Lago home later on Sunday. He can’t be stopped.
Instead of a picture of Trump as a near-martyr to rally the troops around, a photo of Johnson and the former president both doing his characteristic thumbs-up posture was released to social media. With Vice President Kamala Harris as his new political opponent, Trump has taken a political beating. Democrats continued with their campaigns unabated, even after receiving updates on the situation and receiving gratitude from President Joe Biden and Senator Harris for ensuring Trump’s safety.
Moreover, partisan pointing of fingers replaced widespread condemnations of political violence within hours after Sunday’s incident.
Earlier in the day, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries had blogged about “Extreme MAGA Republicans” trying to limit abortion access, and Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) singled out MSNBC and Jeffries for his “beyond evil” rhetoric in a post. (“Political violence has no place in a democratic society.”) This was Jeffries’ social media message following the event. Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, who is also a Republican, shared the view that “the radical left” is responsible for spreading “irresponsible rhetoric” that is “causing people to get hurt.”
Following the initial attempt on the president’s life, Republicans reacted similarly; for example, Ohio Senator JD Vance, who was not yet Trump’s running mate, made an unfounded connection between the Biden campaign and the rally shooting. (“Hugging my kids extra tight tonight and saying a prayer of gratitude.”—Vance’s more measured response to Sunday’s incident, which he posted on X, indicating that Trump was “in good spirits”).
“Supercharged,” remarked GOP strategist and ex-Trump appointee Matthew Bartlett, in contrast to the July incident. “The right appears even more enraged — or thinks they’re up against an unstoppable force in this election that will thwart a political agenda.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who had previously praised Trump and was a candidate for the Republican presidential race, announced on Sunday that his state would be conducting its own investigation into the matter.
The former president is once again the target of calls from Republican lawmakers and Trump loyalists to beef up security. The shooting in Butler prompted the Secret Service to increase the protection that Trump receives. During a press conference on Sunday, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw did admit that protection around Trump is lax compared to when he was the president.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), who was shot and killed while practicing baseball with his colleagues in Congress, responded on X by calling for a change. “The Secret Service must ensure his safety to the best of their abilities.”
A Republican senator from South Carolina, Lindsey Graham, has stated that “it is time to increase resources” for the Secret Service and has pushed for its return to the Treasury Department from its current home in the Department of Homeland Security. The Secret Service is expected to brief lawmakers “this week,” according to Waltz, a Florida representative and member of the congressional task team investigating the Butler assassination attempt.
In a statement released late Sunday night, Biden said that he had “directed my team to continue to ensure that Secret Service has every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure the continued safety” of the former president.