Greetings to this uncommon edition of Inside Politics digest. Extraordinary occurrences over the weekend mark the close of the Dáil term. The reports late Saturday evening in Ireland of a targeted, attempted assassination on Donald Trump, former president and Republican Party nominee, were alarming indeed.
We’re reminded of a renowned phrase from the American War of Independence when such events unfold: “the shot heard round the world”. This catchphrase sprung from the first discharge catalysing the confrontations at Lexington and Concord in 1775, ultimately leading to America achieving its independence and the establishment of the United States.
Distinct photos have surfaced. One particularly striking image captures a projectile moments before its encounter with Trump — who narrowly escaped with a mere scratch. Another frame depicts his bloodied face as he defiantly raises a fist while exiting the stage. The footage of the incident features his protective service team hurrying him off the Whitehall, Pennsylvania platform. Demonstrating his instinctive political savviness, he stops them briefly to raise his arm – a symbol of resilience despite being bruised.
The implications of the attack on Trump are monumental for US politics.
The disturbing bullets fired at Trump’s gathering serve as a brutal reminder that words have impact.
His faithful followers are likely to find his survival boosting his charismatic allure.
America, a society where firearm-related homicides are rampant and guns are common, is known for its violence. The commonality of mass shootings, political violence and attempted assassinations is chilling. The fact that four US presidents have been assassinated, along with assassination attempts on several others — the most recent being Ronald Reagan in 1980 — is sincerely alarming. However, when we consider the ingrained culture in the US, the shock seems misplaced.
Undeniably, these events have dominated media conversation. Here’s our most recent report on the proceedings.
Information about the 20-year-old accused, Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania remains sparse and unclear. There are contradictory reports on his affiliation with both the Democratic Party and Republican Party. Currently, there is no proven conspiracies or plots related to the incident.
There are pressing questions regarding the protection given to the ex-president, which unfortunately enabled a possible attacker to have a clear view of Trump on the platform. This holds significant political implications. Trump is scheduled to appear at the Republican Party Convention in Milwaukee this evening, in a buoyant mood.
Trump commented on the speech he intended to deliver on Thursday, calling it impressive. Had the incident not occurred, it was marked to be one of his best speeches. Now, he’s planning to turn it around significantly.
There’s a golden opportunity here for Trump to unite the nation, and as he rightly mentioned, he was given that chance. On Sunday, President Biden of the United States reacted to this issue, having earlier expressed his support for Trump in a phone call. He initially labelled the shooting as “disturbing”. However, he responded more thoughtfully in a broadcasted address, suggesting that politics needed to take a breather.
In his address, he expressed his concern about the country’s heated political arguments and emphasised the need to calm them down. He added that everyone had a responsibility to help with this. Furthermore, he stressed that there was absolutely no room for any form of violence in the US.
The entire situation presents deep-rooted political consequences. Trump is undoubtedly going to see a surge in popularity as he survived the attack with a tough response. Everyone is eagerly waiting for his speech in Milwaukee this evening, which could give him a significant edge over Biden. Despite being only three years younger than Biden, the public sees a larger discrepancy in their energy and vigour levels.
If Trump’s popularity surges, it will put further strain on Biden to withdraw. This situation appears to be a pivotal point not only in the campaign race, but also in US politics.
Meanwhile, Senate lawmakers still convened last week in the Upper House. They have returned for three days of this week, majorly to discuss two bills: the Planning and Development Bill 2023 and the Courts, Civil Law, and Criminal Law Bill 2024.
The Planning Bill, an immense legislative document including 590 sections across 25 parts, has sparked months of intense discussions. It aims to make the planning process more efficient by raising the bar for submissions, especially those sent to court. Lengthy discourses occurred in the Dáil and committees over an extended period before being fast-tracked with over 500 modifications yet to be addressed.
The process isn’t complete, even in this week. If it successfully progresses through all the Seanad stages, it must return to the Dáil for official approval, a process expected to commence in September.
Alternatively, the Courts Bill shares a similar fate. One key aspect of this bill is the implementation of stricter immigration laws. A certain segment addresses a court ruling from March of the previous year declaring the UK as an unsafe third-party nation due to its strategy of relocating asylum seekers to Rwanda. Currently, this is arguably unimportant as Keir Starmer’s Labour government has asserted it will abandon the plan.
Moreover, a meeting of the Council of State will be held today at 2:30 pm under the charge of President Michael D Higgins for discussions regarding the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024. Since Higgins’ assumption of office 13 years ago, it marks the fourth time the council is assembling.
This council comprises of ex-presidents, taoisigh, the Ceann Comhairle, the nation’s top-ranking judges, the Attorney General and several individuals personally chosen by President Higgins himself. The council’s responsibility during these meetings is to provide counsel to the President in relation to the referral of the bill to the Supreme Court for an examination of its constitutionality. The President solely makes this decision. If the bill is forwarded and the Supreme Court validates its constitutionality, it becomes immune to constitutional law-based judicial challenges.
This bill aims to establish an external regulatory authority for the Armed Forces, permits different ranks’ representative groups association with trade unions and enforces regulations regarding public criticism of the Defence Forces by active servicemen. This last point may have led the President to query.
A thought-provoking piece from Fintan O’Toole, examining the implications of the thwarted attempt to assassinate Donald Trump, has been highly praised. The shocking events of the past weekend has left the United States peering into a grim future, reported by Keith Duggan, the Washington Correspondent. While, Miriam Lord distributed her biannual Dáil honours over the weekend. The Green Party announced the appointment of Senator Róisín Garvey as its new Vice Leader this past Sunday.
Additionally, the Seanad continues its session till Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement is on the verge of introducing a new report. The report, named Perspectives on Constitutional Change: Finance and Economics, is due for release tomorrow. Moreover, a sub-committee on European Affairs is slated for a meeting with the Minister of State in this department, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, on Wednesday.