By Armin Sijamić
On Sunday, in the American state of Florida, Ryan Wesley Routh (58) allegedly attempted to kill Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. This was the second assassination attempt on the former president in just two months. This time, Trump escaped unharmed, and the attacker was arrested. Another event that speaks to the state of politics and society in the world's greatest power.
The 2024 elections will be long remembered by the residents of the United States and people around the world who follow them. If for no other reason, then because the election campaign has become anything but usual. These elections resemble elections in countries that Washington punishes for lack of democracy more than some past American elections in which two candidates emerge in a rather monotonous race, where the winner is more or less known in advance.
In addition to all the political turbulence, the US is shaken by two assassination attempts on Trump. First, in Butler, Pennsylvania, Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to kill the former president and brought the electoral process to a boiling point, after which the Republican candidate returned to the race and pushed the election campaign in a new direction.
According to information published by American media, the former president was playing golf on Sunday at his Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. At that moment, there was an exchange of fire further away from where he was. Secret Service agents spotted Ryan Wesley Routh, who was carrying a semi-automatic weapon, and fired in his direction. The attacker then tried to flee, but the agents apprehended him. Meanwhile, Trump was taken to safety.
The FBI announced that one person was arrested and that they are investigating an "attempted murder." Shortly before, Trump had written to donors in an email that there had been shooting near him, but that he was fine.
Second Attempt
Unlike the incident at the rally in Butler, when Trump was shot in the ear, the Secret Service reacted better. Trump and his supporters did not criticize the agents this time. But Trump blamed the President and Vice President of the United States, Joseph Biden and Kamala Harris, saying that he was being shot at because of "their rhetoric," because they use "inflammatory statements."
This statement by Trump portrays the US as a country where the government wants to eliminate the opposition by force. Americans, who like to compare events to the past, are finding it increasingly difficult to find examples to compare what is happening before this year's November elections.
"The President and Vice President were informed of the security incident at the Trump International Golf Course club, where former President Trump was playing golf," the White House stated. "They were relieved to learn that he was safe. Their team will keep them regularly informed," it added. Soon after, Kamala Harris herself commented. "Violence has no place in America," she said.
According to initial information, the attacker did not belong to any group but was one of those acting "alone," just like the attacker in Butler. The media discovered that Ryan Wesley Routh holds pro-Ukrainian views and from there assumed that the attack was motivated by Trump's policy towards Kyiv and Moscow. On his social media, they found that he supported Trump in 2020, and this year he supported Biden and Kamala Harris.
The way the assassination attempt was carried out and the ease with which he was subdued by agents suggest he acted alone. This is perhaps the biggest problem of this election campaign – the population is so radicalized that they resort to weapons against the most protected individuals in the country. Trump once said that there could be bloodshed if he were cheated out of the election again. Two assassination attempts on Trump show that some on the opposite side have similar ideas.
Therefore, it is not a conspiracy of some group, but a state of society that both sides have created. The way Ryan Wesley Routh attempted to assassinate Trump speaks of a lack of planning. On social media, Trump's supporters accused everyone and anyone, without evidence, of wanting to assassinate Trump.
The Democrats do not benefit from the new attack on Trump, because the first attack in Butler brought the former president back into the race for the White House after his popularity declined due to court proceedings. Second, in last week's presidential debate, Kamala Harris made a better impression on voters and gave an important boost to her efforts to win the November elections.
Waiting for the End of the Campaign
Some Democratic supporters on social media are also talking about the attack being staged, again without evidence. However, what is worrying is the fact that firearms are being used in the election campaign, either according to the theory that someone is being assassinated, or according to the theory that someone is being motivated to vote. This is a serious issue for American criminologists and sociologists.
After the events in Florida, Biden stated that the Secret Service needs more personnel to respond to new challenges. After the attack in Butler, Trump conducts his open-air rallies behind bulletproof glass. Trump's supporters are demanding increased security for the former president.
There are 48 days left until the election. It has become clear that anything is possible in this election campaign. Both sides are to blame for this situation. The way campaigns have been conducted since Trump's entry into his first presidential race eight years ago shows that American politics needs some changes.
Changes could come on November 5. Kamala Harris's victory would likely mean the end of Trump's efforts to reach the White House. Donald Trump's victory would mean a likely reckoning within the political elite in Washington, which the former president has promised. Citizens are waiting for the outcome and probably want this election campaign to finally end more than ever, before it claims new victims and causes more damage.
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