Fanning the flames: political violence in Trump’s America
4/27/202615 min
Donald Trump has compared himself to Abraham Lincoln and JFK after an alleged shooter, dubbed in his reported-manifesto as the “friendly federal assassin”, charged a security point armed with guns and knives.
For a moment, the White House Correspondents dinner continued, the president and his guests unaware until the secret service pulled him from the stage, forming a human shield.
This marks the third alleged assassination attempt on Donald Trump in two years. As political violence targeting both sides of the aisle grows to unprecedented levels.
Today, SMH columnist and former assistant managing editor of NPR in Washington, Bill Wyman on America’s surge in political violence and Trump’s role as both target and provocateur.
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Guest: SMH columnist Bill Wyman
Photo: PA/Alamy
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsDonald Trump· Soundbite0:01
I've studied assassinations, and I must tell you, the most impactful people, the people that do the most, you take a look at the people, Abraham Lincoln, I mean, you go through the people that have gotten assassinated This is Donald Trump comparing himself to Abraham Lincoln and JFK ... but the people that do the most, the people that make the biggest impact, they're the ones that they go after The president became the likely target of an alleged shooter who charged a security point armed with guns and knives.
Nicole Johnston· Host0:30
[gunshots] For a moment, the White House Correspondents' Dinner continued, the president and his guests seemingly unaware, until the Secret Service pulled Trump from the stage and formed a human shield around him The mood has obviously changed with this, uh, sudden development of, uh, potentially, uh, shots or What appears to be shots fired at the, uh, White House Correspondents' Dinner That's when then we saw more and more law enforcement officers racing up the aisle straight towards the president.
Speaker 21:00
We were told, "Get down, get down," and that's when everyone got under the tables. I was, uh, seated next We've been here before The attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. Gunfire erupting at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania tonight. We will take you there The former president was rushed off the stage right now with Secret Service. He's being escorted into his vehicle This is the third alleged assassination attempt on Donald Trump in two years I don't care how many people you have, how good they are, they can be the greatest people, you have the greatest security in history.