More than 60 years later, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy is still fueling countless conspiracy theories. And with the rise of social media, baseless rumors can spread like wildfire. So it’s no surprise that within minutes of the apparent assassination attempt against Donald Trump, wild claims began circulating about what really happened at the July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and who was to blame for the attack.
What was disappointing, if not surprising, was that it wasn’t just random X users posting unfounded accusations, though the shooter’s identity and motives are still unknown. Several Republican elected officials were quick to blame the left, and President Joe Biden specifically, for the shooting that wounded Trump in the ear, killed at least one audience member, and injured another. (The unidentified gunman was killed by the Secret Service.)
Representative Mike Collins of Georgia actually accused Biden of ordering the attack. He cited a report that Biden used the phrase “It’s time to put Trump in the bullseye,” during a call to donors on July 8, and called for charges against Biden.
Joe Biden sent the orders. https://t.co/pOc0XLxCwg
— Mike Collins (@MikeCollinsGA) July 13, 2024
The Republican District Attorney in Butler County, PA, should immediately file charges against Joseph R. Biden for inciting an assassination.
— Mike Collins (@MikeCollinsGA) July 13, 2024
In retrospect, this is an unfortunate choice of words by Biden, but it’s clear he was speaking metaphorically, not urging donors to literally shoot his opponent.
Other Republicans — including several people on Trump’s VP shortlist — blamed Biden, the Democratic Party, and the mainstream media for the shooting, arguing they all have encouraged violence against Trump by vilifying him throughout his political career:
Trump-deranged Left wing LUNATICS that parade around MSNBC and other FAKE NEWS “outlets” demonizing Trump and calling him Hitler are DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE for this violent attack on President Trump’s life!! They have BLOOD on their hands. ENOUGH of the VIOLENT RHETORIC! AMERICA IS…
— Ronny Jackson (@RonnyJacksonTX) July 13, 2024
Today is not just some isolated incident.
— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) July 14, 2024
The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs.
That rhetoric led directly to President Trump's attempted assassination.
Let’s be clear: This was an assassination attempt aided and abetted by the radical Left and corporate media incessantly calling Trump a threat to democracy, fascists, or worse.
— Tim Scott (@votetimscott) July 14, 2024
Someone just tried to ASSASSINATE President Trump.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene???????? (@RepMTG) July 13, 2024
The Democrats and the media are to blame for every drop of blood spilled today.
For years and years, they’ve demonized him and his supporters.
Today, someone finally tried to take out the leader of our America First and the… pic.twitter.com/38cFXjQdwx
Later on Saturday evening, Chris LaCivita, Trump’s co-campaign manager, echoed this view:
for years, and even today,leftist activists, democrat donors and now even @JoeBiden have made disgusting remarksand descriptions of shooting Donald Trump it’s high time they be held accountable for it the best way is through the ballot box
— Chris LaCivita (@LaCivitaC) July 14, 2024
Of course, Trump is known for repeatedly using violent rhetoric, and even shrugging off the January 6 mob’s “Hang Mike Pence” chant as “common sense.”
And Biden’s remarks on the attack against his rival didn’t exactly bolster the narrative Republicans are pushing. The president initially released a statement strongly condemning political violence:
I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information.
Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.
Biden reiterated these points at a press conference later on Saturday night.
“There’s no place in America for this type of violence,” he said. “It’s sick. It’s sick. It’s one of the reasons we have to unite this country. We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this.”
