Former President Trump is facing a unique and heightened threat of assassination compared to other living former presidents due to inflammatory political rhetoric portraying him as “public enemy number one for democracy,” according to a security expert. Trump has already survived two assassination attempts in just over two months, while no recent attempts have been made on other former presidents. The first incident in July resulted in a rally attendee being killed and Trump being injured, while the second attempt in September was thwarted as the suspect was arrested. The Secret Service has elevated security measures around its protectees, including other former presidents, in response to the threats.
The security expert, Gene Petrino, noted that both sides of the political spectrum have been engaging in hateful rhetoric that can embolden individuals to take extreme actions. Trump is seen as a higher-profile target for assassination among former presidents due to the intense polarization and divisiveness in the country. The recent attempts on Trump’s life are seen as unique to him, with former NYPD officer Bill Stanton attributing the heightened threat to the “perfect storm of heightened rhetoric” surrounding the election cycle.
Following the second attempt on Trump’s life, he blamed Democrats’ rhetoric for inciting violence against him, claiming that their words are putting his life at risk. This rhetoric, according to Trump, is causing individuals to act on their beliefs and target him in assassination attempts. Trump has called out Democrats for their language and has accused them of being the real threat to democracy. Social media posts by the suspect arrested in the second attempt show that he parroted some political talking points from Democrats, suggesting a connection to the inflammatory rhetoric surrounding Trump.
The White House continues to describe Trump as a “threat” to democracy despite multiple attempts on his life, leading to questions about the impact of such language on individuals who may be influenced by it. Democratic leaders have condemned the attempts on Trump’s life and reached out to him following the incidents. The administration stands by its characterization of Trump as a threat based on his actions and statements following the 2020 election. The security concern is not limited to Trump, with the Secret Service indicating an elevated protective posture for all protectees in response to the recent attempts on the former president.
The heightened political rhetoric and polarization in the country have created a dangerous environment where individuals can become “self-radicalized” and take extreme actions. The security experts emphasize the need to address the divisive rhetoric and hateful language coming from both sides of the political spectrum in order to prevent further incidents of violence. The attempts on Trump’s life are seen as a symptom of the larger issue of political extremism and the dangerous consequences of such ideologies. The safety and security of all individuals, especially those in positions of power, must be prioritized to prevent further acts of violence.
