Democrats and Republicans have been calling for unity since the assassination attempt on Donald Trump on Saturday at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. The event, which has sparked all sorts of conspiracy theories, promises to be a defining moment for the presidential campaign. The former president has also traveled to Milwaukee ahead of the Republican convention that begins on Monday and is set to anoint him as leader of his party, while Joe Biden has assured that security protocols will be revised there.
“We have to stand together,” Biden said in an address to the nation from the Oval Office Sunday night, before adding: “As you know, the political climate in this country has gotten hot. It’s time to cool it down.” Earlier in the day, Biden said he had a “short but good conversation” with his rival on Saturday. The Democratic president also said he had ordered an “independent investigation” into the events.
Recall that Mr. Trump was shot in the ear and then evacuated, his cheek bloodied, after several shots were directed at him, during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. The photo of the Republican candidate leaving the stage with his fist raised inflamed social networks. A spectator, Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed, and two people were still “in critical condition” in the hospital, according to a spokesperson for Allegheny Hospital in Pittsburgh, where they are being treated.
The alleged shooter, identified by the FBI as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was shot dead by the Secret Service, the agency responsible for protecting presidents and former presidents. According to several American media outlets, explosives were found in his vehicle not far from the rally site. Pennsylvania state records show that the young man had registered as a Republican voter for the November 5 presidential election, although he had also, at the age of 17, donated $15 to a political action committee that raises funds for Democrats.
Conspiracy Theories
Biden has urged Americans not to “make assumptions about the motives” of the shooter. “We don’t know the motive of the shooter yet,” he said Sunday night. “We don’t know his views or his affiliations. We don’t know if he had any help or support or if he communicated with anyone else. Law enforcement, as we speak, is investigating those matters.” The FBI has also so far found no evidence of mental illness or criminal history in the shooter.
Regardless, conspiracy theories have been flooding social media since Saturday. Sen. J.D. Vance, widely considered the frontrunner to be Trump’s running mate, claimed that Biden’s “rhetoric” “led directly” to the attack. Republican House Rep. Mike Collins even suggested that Biden “gave the orders,” sharing an out-of-context quote from the president on X.
Theories about how the assassination attempt will impact the campaign have also been circulating since Saturday. While some analysts predict that Trump’s new image as a victim of political violence will help him, others say Biden could benefit from the event diverting media attention from concerns about his age.
Campaign activities on pause
On Saturday, Mr. Biden’s campaign moved quickly to pull its television ads from the airwaves nationwide and halted official external communications. The president also canceled a speech he was scheduled to deliver Monday in Texas, and an internal message from his team asked all staffers to “refrain from any comments on social media or in public,” as Mr. Trump’s team did.
Moreover, although political tensions remain high in the United States, Republican Representative Michael Lawler and his Democratic colleague Ritchie Torres, both elected in New York, announced on Sunday their intention to introduce a bill to strengthen the security of Donald Trump, Joe Biden and independent candidate Robert Kennedy Jr.
For now, the spotlight remains on Milwaukee, where Donald Trump is being awaited by his supporters with renewed enthusiasm. Nikki Haley, Mr. Trump’s last opponent in the Republican presidential primary, is scheduled to speak at the Republican convention this week, her spokeswoman said. She was not originally scheduled to be part of the program, but she has been included as Republicans seek more than ever to send a message of unity.