Assassination Attempt on Trump Sparks Fear Ahead of Republican National Convention

The English section of Voice of America - It is expected that Republicans will officially nominate Donald Trump as their candidate for the November 2024 presidential election just days after surviving an assassination attempt. This action will take place at the Republican National Convention, which is anticipated to be one of the most-watched events in recent decades. Republican officials and Trump's campaign have confirmed that the convention will open as scheduled on Monday, just two days after Trump was shot in the ear during a speech at an outdoor campaign rally in Pennsylvania, resulting in bleeding. Thousands of political representatives from regions and states, along with a multitude of protesters, will gather in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for this four-day convention, and a significant increase in police presence is expected. Amid the maze of security barriers set up in downtown, Voice of America spoke with city residents and convention participants, some of whom expressed concerns about the potential for further unrest. James Hauser, a Milwaukee resident, stated, 'I think things will get worse than they are now. I mean, they [are already] closing the streets every hour.' Laura Bigert, a reserve political representative from Tennessee, described the assassination attempt as 'shocking and heartbreaking.' She said, 'I expect [the convention] to be safe, but you can't be sure... When you think about that [shooting] - a shot to the head - it's scary. We're just lucky that God was watching over him.' Political representatives at the convention will officially nominate Donald Trump for the Republican Party by casting their votes on behalf of their states and regions. U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials identified the suspected assailant as 20-year-old Matthew Crooks, who lived about an hour away from Butler, Pennsylvania, where the shooting occurred. According to FBI officials, who stated that their investigation could take months, no motive for the shooting has been established. Jacob Wer, a senior member of the Council on Foreign Relations think tank, stated that this shooting is one of the most serious instances of political violence in the United States since 'September 11.' Joe Biden, the Democratic President and Trump's rival in the upcoming presidential election, called the assassination attempt 'very disturbing' and stated that political violence has no place in the United States. Even before the shooting, fears of election-related unrest had increased, especially after Trump supported the protesters who attacked the U.S. Capitol following his defeat by Biden in the 2020 election. Donald Trump and many of his supporters, who claim they feel deprived of their right to influence power, have long asserted that the results of the 2020 election were 'stolen,' although they have not provided any evidence of widespread fraud. Many Republicans are also upset that Trump is facing an unprecedented wave of criminal charges after leaving office, including those brought by the U.S. Department of Justice. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll published in May, two-thirds of Americans said they were concerned about the possibility of violent actions by extremists if they were dissatisfied with the results of the November 5 election. Some in Milwaukee are specifically worried about the Republican convention, especially since Wisconsin law prevents officials from banning the carrying of firearms in the convention's security area known as the 'footprint.' Earlier this year, some local politicians in Milwaukee unsuccessfully attempted to pass a law that would have banned the use of firearms in the 'footprint' area. The Secret Service, responsible for protecting individuals, states that it does not allow people to carry any weapons in areas where entry requires a permit. Bert Bruin, a former U.S. diplomat who now heads a crisis management and communication organization called the 'Global Situation Room,' stated that there is an urgent need for those active in U.S. politics to tone down their extremist rhetoric. While more details about Saturday's shooting continue to emerge, it appears that Mike Collins, a U.S. House member from Georgia, without providing evidence, accused Joe Biden of 'organizing' the assassination attempt on Trump. Collins wrote in a post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), 'Joe Biden sent the orders.' Collins's reference is to Biden's recent statements suggesting 'it's time to target Trump as a bullseye,' which were an attempt to shift media focus away from what observers say was Biden's poor performance in the debate with Trump. Donald Trump also frequently uses incendiary rhetoric. For example, he mocked Nancy Pelosi's husband, who was severely injured by an intruder with a hammer in 2022. However, Alex Gray, a former director of the Trump National Security Council, disagreed with leftist figures who label Trump a fascist dictator. He stated, 'We hear a lot of talk about Trump, the president, supposedly being a threat to democracy. I think what we all need to do is take a step back (and think about these circumstances).' Alex Gray, who will attend the Republican National Convention, expressed confidence in the security of the event. He hopes that this convention will provide an opportunity for Trump and other Republicans to outline a 'promoting and unifying vision' for America's democratic institutions. Biden has ordered a 'comprehensive and swift' investigation into the failed assassination of Trump: the motive of the assailant is still unclear. A senior congressional legislator has called for finding the reasons for the 'security failure' at Trump's gathering. Federal agents are busy gathering information about the motive of the assailant against Donald Trump. The assailant was a twenty-year-old man; one person from the crowd was killed and two were injured. Biden spoke with Trump after the failed assassination attempt, stating, 'We must remain strong and determined.'