On Monday, former President Donald Trump said that comments from Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden may have contributed to the second attempted assassination against him. He suggested that what they said influenced the actions of the suspected gunman, Ryan Wesley Routh, over the weekend.
“He believed the rhetoric of Biden and Harris, and he acted on it,” Trump said in an interview Monday morning with Fox Digital. “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.” He also took it a step further and shared a lengthy message to his social media platform. “The Rhetoric, Lies, as exemplified by the false statements made by Comrade Kamala Harris during the rigged and highly partisan ABC Debate, and all of the ridiculous lawsuits specifically designed to inflict damage on Joe’s, then Kamala’s, Political Opponent, ME, has taken politics in our Country to a whole new level of Hatred, Abuse, and Distrust. Because of this Communist Left Rhetoric, the bullets are flying, and it will only get worse!”
He added, “Allowing millions of people, from places unknown, to INVADE and take over our Country, is an unpardonable sin. OUR BORDERS MUST BE CLOSED, AND THE TERRORISTS, CRIMINALS, AND MENTALLY INSANE, IMMEDIATELY REMOVED FROM AMERICAN CITIES AND TOWNS, DEPORTED BACK TO THEIR COUNTIES OF ORIGIN. WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME INTO OUR COUNTRY, BUT THEY MUST LOVE OUR NATION, AND COME IN LEGALLY AND THROUGH A SYSTEM OF MERIT. THE WORLD IS LAUGHING AT US AS FOOLS, THEY ARE STEALING OUR JOBS AND OUR WEALTH. WE CANNOT LET THEM LAUGH ANY LONGER. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
The motive of the suspect is still unclear as the FBI carries out a thorough investigation into Routh’s background. Sources informed ABC News that agents are examining whether Routh was upset with Trump’s stance on Ukraine.
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The FBI is treating Sunday’s event as an “attempted assassination.” It remains uncertain whether Routh targeted the former president or if he discharged his weapon. According to several sources reported by ABC News, agents opened fire on Routh after they saw his rifle near the fence line of the Trump International golf course.
On Monday morning, Routh appeared in a federal courtroom in West Palm Beach, where he was hit with two charges related to firearms.
Harris’ campaign announced that it would not be providing any comments on Trump’s statements at this moment.
Trump’s remarks take a more political tone compared to his initial reaction after the assassination attempt he faced earlier this summer in Butler, Pennsylvania.