Trump Blames Kamala Harris for Inciting Assassination Attempts, Calls Her a ‘Threat to Democracy’
In a bold move, former President Donald Trump has directly accused Vice President Kamala Harris of instigating assassination attempts against him, declaring her the “bigger threat to democracy” on the November ballot. Speaking with Fox News on Monday, Trump expanded on statements he made the previous night, vowing that he is “safe” and will “never surrender.”
Citing inflammatory language from Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Trump asserted that Ryan Wesley Routh, the 58-year-old gunman behind the most recent assassination attempt, was influenced by their rhetoric. “He believed the rhetoric of Biden and Harris, and he acted on it,” Trump stated. “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.”
Trump highlighted the recurring phrase “threat to democracy,” often used by Harris and Walz, as a dangerous call to action. According to Trump, this kind of messaging paints a distorted picture of him, leading extremists like Routh to violence. “These are people that want to destroy our country,” Trump continued, calling Harris and Walz the true “enemy from within.”
The former president also emphasized Routh’s political leanings, pointing out his history of donating to Democratic politicians and his belief that the 2024 election is one that Democrats “cannot lose.” Trump linked this sentiment to ongoing legal battles and heated rhetoric, stating that the combination is pushing people toward violence. “These are the things that dangerous fools, like the shooter, listen to,” Trump said, referencing both the recent attempt and a prior attack in July.
The July incident saw Trump narrowly escape a fatal injury when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired at him. Though Trump was only grazed by a bullet, the attack prompted renewed assertions from Harris and President Joe Biden that Trump himself was responsible for stoking violence. Despite this, Trump insists the real threat comes from his political opponents. Speaking on Fox, he remarked, “Biden and Harris are making America weak… by allowing millions of very dangerous migrants to pour into it and destroying our country and cities.”
Trump concluded his interview by slamming the media, accusing them of shielding Democrats from criticism while vilifying him. “The media is made up of fools that will spew [Democrats’] garbage and spew their sick philosophies and will protect them at all costs,” Trump said, expressing frustration over the media’s handling of last week’s debate, which many commentators believed Harris won, though her post-debate poll numbers showed little improvement.
As tensions continue to rise leading up to the November election, Trump’s claims are likely to inflame an already polarized political environment. Both Harris and the Biden administration have yet to directly respond to Trump’s latest accusations, but the narrative of threats to democracy remains central to the ongoing political battle.