Donald Trump Assassination Attempt: What’s Happening to America?*

This has been the most dramatic election campaign in the most important country in the world since time immemorial. The shooting at Donald Trump’s rally makes it even more alarming.

Less than four months before the presidential election in the U.S., an election that is significant for the entire West, American politics are no longer just chaotic, but also violent with respect to one of the candidates, the former president, who is likely to return to the White House.

Violence, Assassination Attempt

The assassination attempt shook America, including Donald Trump’s opponents, who rushed to wish him well, expressing relief that he was safe and sound, and then condemned violence.

Americans will now live and breathe the investigation. The attacker was neutralized, that is, he was killed on the spot. But his motives, his past and his preparation were practically unknown hours after the attack. Did he act alone? Is another attack on Trump likely? Have the protective services failed? These are now the most relevant subjects of the election.

Will Trump’s conduct in a moment of danger help him win the election?

Saturday’s election rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, looked like an idyllic family gathering with only a few rows of supporters sitting behind Trump and, not visible from the video of the event, hardly any crowd out front.

The sound of gunfire could be heard immediately after the rally began. Blood appeared on Trump’s face as Secret Service agents rushed him from the rally.

These images could become the best images in his election campaign, especially those where Trump, although wounded, raises his fist, shows energy and expresses the will to fight.

This is not a good moment to consider what the election results will be in November, but Trump’s behavior in a moment of danger may help him win it.

It’s not the candidates’ substantive statements that will decide who becomes the next president. Emotions were already running high before this presidential campaign, most recently over the state of President Joe Biden’s health. When it appeared that he was doing well hosting this Jubilee NATO summit in Washington, Biden confused the guest from Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with Vladimir Putin, the man responsible for war crimes in Ukraine.

Now emotions will obscure everything else. And given the events in Pennsylvania, it’s hardly surprising.

This is a sad reflection on how intense the political debate is in the U.S.; it reflects mutual hatred not confined merely to verbal attacks. It is not the candidates’ positions on the economy, the law, values or the international role of the U.S. that will decide who will be president.

And all this at a time when the world is extremely unstable as countries wage war, and where the American system is of great importance as opponents of the West try to weaken it.

What has become of America?

*Editor’s Note: This article is available in its original language version with a paid subscription.