Trump blames Biden and Harris for fueling assassination plot

Former US president Donald Trump has blamed his election rival Kamala Harris and US President Joe Biden after he was targeted in a second apparent assassination attempt, saying their "rhetoric" about him endangering democracy is to blame.

Trump's comments on Sunday's incident, in which a man allegedly planned to fire on the Republican while he played golf in Florida, guaranteed that tensions ahead of the presidential election in seven weeks would continue to boil.

Trump told Fox News Digital on Monday that rhetoric from Biden and Harris "is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country."

Trump, 78, referred to frequent comments that he poses a "threat to democracy."

Trump said his opponents "use highly inflammatory language. "

"I can use it too — far better than they can — but I don't," he added.

In a later post on his Truth Social network, Trump said "the bullets are flying, and it will only get worse."

Biden and Harris have described the former president as a danger over his refusal to concede defeat to Biden in 2020 and his campaign to classify the mob of his supporters that stormed Congress in 2021 as political dissidents.

Both have denounced the apparent assassination bid, with the president saying: "I've always condemned political violence. I always will."

Suspect Ryan Wesley Routh charged

The suspect, identified by police as 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, was arrested soon after being spotted while hiding with an assault-style rifle at the edge of Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach.

US Secret Service agents opened fire, and he fled before surrendering without a struggle.

On Monday, Routh appeared in court where he was informed he was being charged with illegal firearms possession. He appeared calm and did not speak, other than to say "yes" to questions from the judge.

More charges are expected at a later date, with the FBI probing what it said "appears to be an attempted assassination."

According to an FBI criminal complaint, Routh seems to have spent nearly 12 hours on the perimeter of the Trump golf course, based on cell phone records.

July attack on Trump

On July 13, the former president was grazed by a bullet in an attack at a Pennsylvania rally, which also saw a supporter in the crowd killed before the lone gunman was shot dead by return fire.

At the White House earlier on Monday, Biden had told reporters "thank God the president is OK."

But the Secret Service "needs more help," he said, "and I think Congress should respond to their needs."

The protective service came under severe criticism after the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, in which the shooter was able to climb onto a nearby roof overlooking Trump's rally.

As a major party candidate and former president, Trump has a sizeable security detail but smaller than that of a sitting president.

This meant the bodyguards could not cordon off the entire golf course, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said, explaining how the suspect was able to get to within a few hundred yards of Trump before being intercepted.

The would-be attacker has a lengthy criminal record, and was obsessed with the Ukrainian cause. He traveled to Ukraine, claiming he wanted to volunteer and was recruiting foreign fighters, especially from Afghanistan to help repel Russia's incursion.

However, there is no evidence that he ever fought there or was able to join the Ukrainian military. His social media presence indicates a wide variety of political affiliations at home.

Fear of wider violence

The intensity of threats is rising as the US presidential race enters its final weeks, and polls continue to indicate a tight finish on November 5.

The latest twist follows days of tension in the Ohio town of Springfield as a result of comments by Trump and his running mate JD Vance about the local Haitian immigrant community.

Schools and other public institutions have been repeatedly shut down there since Thursday after receiving threats.

There are also broader worries that Trump will again refuse to concede if he loses to Harris, stoking a repeat of the violence on January 6, 2021.

Trump used Sunday's incident to appeal for campaign funds, posting on social media Monday: "FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!!!!!" and "Donate Today!"

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Source: TRT