While most politicians were quick to put out statements decrying the violence at Saturday’s rally where former president Donald Trump was shot, some Republicans, including potential Donald Trump vice presidential candidate Sen. J.D. Vance and far-right Trump-supporting firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, called out Democratic rhetoric in the aftermath.
“Today is not just some isolated incident,” Vance wrote on X. “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.”
“Democrats wanted this to happen,” Greene posted on X. “They’ve wanted Trump gone for years and they’re prepared to do anything to make that happen.”
She continued, calling out members of Congress who she wrote “cosponsored legislation to TERMINATE Trump’s Secret Service protection. Why would they want that? You know the reason.”
Written before it was confirmed that an audience member was killed, she continued, “Others may have been killed — innocent people that were there supporting President Trump and all they wanted was to Make America Great Again and they may have been murdered for it. Thank GOD Secret Service was there for Trump and everyone else at today’s rally.”
Both Vance and Greene are set to be speakers at this week’s Republican National Convention.
Republican Rep. Mike Collins of Georgia was also quick to attack Democrats in the wake of the shooting, writing that “Joe Biden sent the orders” in a tweet quoting a statement Biden made earlier in the week. At the time, as the president had looked to move past questions surrounding his age following a disastrous debate performance, he said, “I have one job, and that’s to beat Donald Trump. I’m absolutely certain I’m the best person to be able to do that. So, we’re done talking about the debate, it’s time to put Trump in a bullseye.”
Collins followed up by writing, “The Republican District Attorney in Butler County, PA, should immediately file charges against Joseph R. Biden for inciting an assassination.”
Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk pointed to trending topics on X to argue that Democrats wanted Trump to be killed, showing that the phrases “ONE JOB,” “HOW DO YOU MISS” and “THEY MISSED” were trending.
The moment looked likely to spark conspiracy theories, with a large number of posters quickly claiming online that the shooting was staged — the word “staged” trended on X, as Australian news outlet news.com.au noted.
President Joe Biden was quick to condemn the violence, saying in a statement he was “grateful” that Trump was safe and that he was praying for Trump and his family and all of those at the rally.
“There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it,” the president’s statement continued.
Biden appeared live in front of press and cameras shortly after the statement was issued, offering further remarks.
“Look, there’s no place in America for this kind of violence. It’s sick. It’s sick,” the president said. “It’s one of the reasons why we have to unite this country. We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this.”
