There is something fishy going on.
Former President Donald Trump and his supporters are intensifying political rhetoric following what the FBI has described as the second attempt on his life in under ten weeks, thwarted by his Secret Service detail.
In a social media post on Monday, Trump accused Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden of escalating political hostility to new extremes. He claimed that their statements are fueling threats and violence against him, despite both leaders condemning political violence just the day before.
Elon Musk, a significant ally of Trump, tweeted about the lack of attempts on Biden and Harris’s lives, suggesting in a later deleted post that it was meant as a joke.
By midday Monday, it was clear that Trump and his team were not tempering their inflammatory rhetoric as Election Day approaches. Trump’s focus quickly shifted to Biden and Harris, bypassing any calls for calm or unity.
On Monday night, Trump’s running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, criticized Democrats for what he described as “inflammatory” rhetoric. Vance argued that the recent attempts on Trump’s life contrasted sharply with the absence of similar threats against Harris, suggesting that the left should moderate its language to avoid further violence and division in the country.
The latest incident occurred while Trump was golfing at his West Palm Beach course on Sunday. According to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, a Secret Service agent spotted a gun barrel protruding from the bushes nearby. The Secret Service fired at the suspect, who then fled but was soon captured by police. Trump remained at the golf club for over an hour before being safely transported to his Mar-a-Lago resort.
At Mar-a-Lago, Trump engaged in phone calls with supporters, received updates from acting Secret Service director Ronald Rowe, and joked about golf, according to sources close to him. Despite the incident, Trump is expected to continue with his campaign schedule with minimal changes, as noted by an adviser.
Trump faced a choice in responding to the incident: use it for political gain or downplay it to discourage future violence. He chose to emphasize the threat, repeating his assertion that Biden and Harris are responsible for the attacks against him. His campaign’s fundraising efforts were also heightened following the event, with Trump continuing to blame his opponents for the violence aimed at him.
