WASHINGTON, Sep 17: Launching a fiery attack against Democrats, former US President Donald Trump has said that President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris’ “rhetoric” is responsible for the second assassination attempt against him since July, media reported.
Trump said on Monday that the suspected gunman “acted” on the “highly inflammatory language” of Democrats, CNN reported.
The Republican nominee’s sharp remarks came a day after he escaped an attack at International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
During an interview with Fox News, the former President said that the suspect “believed the rhetoric of Biden and Harris, and he acted on it”.
Trump added, “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.”
The former President pointed to comments made by Biden and Harris that Trump is a threat to democracy, according to Fox News Digital, and said, “These are people that want to destroy our country.”
He said that Biden and Harris, “They are the real threat.”
“They use highly inflammatory language,” Trump said.
“I can use it too — far better than they can — but I don’t,” he added.
Harris, her running mate and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and Biden all quickly expressed relief that a person suspected of planning to target Trump at one of his Florida golf courses was spotted before he could get off a shot and that the former President was safe.
Harris said she was briefed on the incident and wrote on social media: “I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America.”
Biden and Harris have both argued Trump presents a clear threat to US democracy.
When Biden began his 2024 campaign which he has since suspended, he pointed to the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol that Trump incited and argued Trump was “willing to sacrifice our democracy, put himself in power”.
Harris has argued Trump is a “threat to our democracy and fundamental freedoms”.
The suspected gunman, Ryan Wesley Routh, possessed an AK-47-style rifle pointing through the chain-link fence out towards the green, a go-pro camera, and two backpacks. Routh escaped from the spot but was pulled over and arrested on I-95, according to Fox News report.
Following the shooting incident near his Florida Golf Course on Sunday, former US President Trump said that he is absolutely “safe and well”. He was playing golf at West Palm Beach’s Trump International Golf Club.
In a fundraising email, Trump wrote, “There were gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumours start spiralling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL!”
“Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER! I will always love you for supporting me,” he said in the email. Trump is “safe following gunshots in his vicinity,” the Trump Campaign said in a statement on Sunday, according to CNN.
Soon after the incident took place, Trump ally Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina spoke with him, and said that he is “good spirits”.
The second assassination attempt against Trump came after he was shot in the ear at a rally in Pennsylvania by a gunman who killed one person and injured others before being shot by police on July 13.
Governor assures probe into assassination attempt
Florida law enforcement will launch a state-level criminal probe of the apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump, Gov Ron DeSantis said Tuesday.
DeSantis told reporters that the “suspect is believed to have committed state law violations.” DeSantis’ announcement comes a day after Ryan Routh was charged with federal firearms crimes.
Routh did not fire any shots, never had Trump in his line of sight and sped away after an agent who spotted him shot in his direction, officials said.
He was arrested in a neighboring county. (Agencies)
