Following the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania, 80 percent of American voters, including Democrats and Republicans, agreed with the statement that “the country is spiraling out of control,” a Reuters/Ipsos poll found.
Those interviewed also expressed fear of political violence breaking out in the context of the presidential elections on November 5.
Some 84 percent of voters in the poll said they were worried about extremists committing violence after the election, up 10 percent from a previous survey in May, when the figure was 74 percent.
The failed assassination of Trump during a rally on July 13 put the entire nation on alert and recalled the scene of the murder of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963.
Although the bullet grazed Trump’s ear, the candidate raised his fist and shouted: Fight! Fight! Fight! as he was led from the stage. Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, the prime suspect in the attack, was killed, but the bulk of the blame for the attack rests with the Secret Service.
The image of Trump with his injured ear covered with a bandage even made headlines at the Republican National Convention, which took place from July 15 to 18. Hundreds of supporters attended the event with their right ears covered in solidarity with the candidate. An event that caused Trump’s support to grow last week.
Sixty-five percent of Republicans said that “Trump’s survival demonstrated that he had been favored by divine providence or the will of God,” and at least 11 percent of Democrats agreed.
The study also noted that 67% of people responded that they were concerned about acts of violence against their community because of their political beliefs, an increase of 7% compared to an interview in June 2023, when this point reached 60%.
DO NOT REPEAT
Republican lawmakers agreed that an act like Trump’s should not be repeated in one of the world’s powers and demanded investigations as soon as possible.
Amid concerns about the Secret Service’s role, House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer has subpoenaed Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle for a hearing on July 22.
“The attempted assassination of the former president represents a complete failure of the agency’s core mission and requires congressional oversight,” Comer wrote in the official document.
“Americans demand and deserve answers from Director Cheatle about the attempted assassination of President Trump and the egregious failures of the Secret Service,” he added.
“The Secret Service must be held accountable for this cover-up. Director Cheatle must go,” said Senator Marsha Blackburn.
