WASHINGTON, USA: Former US president Donald Trump, in an interview with the New York Post on Sunday, recounted the “very surreal experience” of surviving an assassination attempt. “I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,” Trump said, showing a bandage over his right ear.
The attempt on Trump’s life occurred during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. The assailant, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed by Secret Service agents after opening fire, wounding Trump and killing a bystander. US officials are investigating the attack as a potential act of domestic terrorism, with the FBI analyzing Crooks’s phone for any ideological motives.
In response, President Joe Biden delivered a rare Oval Office address, urging the nation to “cool it down” and emphasizing the responsibility to reduce political tensions. “American politics must never be a literal battlefield, God forbid a killing field,” Biden stated. He referenced the January 6, 2021, Capitol assault by pro-Trump activists as an example of escalating violence and warned against normalizing such acts.
The assassination attempt has intensified an already polarized political climate as the country approaches the November 5 polls. Biden, 81, acknowledged the heightened stakes, calling the upcoming election a “time of testing” for the nation. His speech, despite minor verbal slips, was closely watched by Democrats concerned about his age and leadership capabilities following a poor debate performance.
The Secret Service, under scrutiny for the attack, has assured the public of its preparedness to secure the Republican National Convention. Questions remain about how the gunman managed to get within 150 meters of Trump and fire multiple rounds. This incident has further fueled tensions in the already contentious race for the White House.
Numerous Republicans have accused Democrats of inciting extreme rhetoric that contributed to the shooting. The attempt on Trump’s life marks a dark new chapter in the rematch between Biden and Trump, who lost to Biden in the 2020 election. As the nation grapples with this event, calls for calm and responsible discourse have become more urgent.
