On Monday, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump engaged in a “cordial” phone call, according to a statement from the White House, following an alarming assassination attempt on Trump over the weekend. This incident marks the second such attack targeting Trump in recent months. The former President has attributed this attack to the inflammatory rhetoric of Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
According to a White House official, President Biden reached out to express his relief that Trump was unharmed. The official’s statement emphasized that the conversation was friendly and that Trump appreciated the call. During a speech at the National HBCU Week Conference in Philadelphia, Biden addressed the broader issue of political violence, acknowledging America’s tragic history with such events.
In response to the attack, Trump spoke exclusively with Fox News Digital, placing blame squarely on Biden and Harris. He asserted, “The rhetoric from Biden and Harris is inciting violence. It’s their inflammatory speech that’s putting my life at risk while I’m dedicated to saving this country from their damaging policies.” This statement came after a failed assassination attempt on Sunday at Trump’s golf club, Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe reported that a U.S. Secret Service agent, while patrolling the perimeter of the golf club, spotted what appeared to be a rifle among the trees. The agent fired in the direction of the rifle, prompting the suspect, identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, to flee. Routh was later apprehended in Martin County, Florida. The FBI is now investigating this as a serious assassination attempt against Trump.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw noted that Mar-a-Lago’s security has been elevated to the highest possible level in response to the threat. Routh, who had once supported Trump, became disillusioned with the former President, expressing disappointment and critiquing him publicly. This attack, coupled with a similar incident in Pennsylvania earlier, has highlighted the urgent need for increased protection for political figures. Biden has called on Congress to bolster resources for the Secret Service, including potentially increasing personnel to ensure the safety of key leaders.