President Joe Biden’s response to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump appeared more as a plea than a factual assertion, stating “the kind of violence demonstrated has no place in America.” There is, however, a significant presence of political violence in America, a psychological occurrence that seems to have expanded considerably, reverberating echoes from the tumultuous 1960s.
On a Saturday evening, the pandemonium that unfolded at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire, injuring several, including Trump, and claiming a life, was nothing short of a manifestation of the instinctive human bloodlust; a byproduct of the intense polarisation afflicting American democracy.
The horrifying event, an unwelcome disruption in the Presidential election campaign, may momentarily create an illusion of unity among those dedicated to democracy. However, any harmony will undoubtedly be ephemeral. The incident only elevates the potential of further deepening the tribal nature of American democracy.
To Trump’s ardent followers, his survival will be perceived as nothing short of divine intervention, affirming their conviction that Trump is more than a political leader, but rather a tool for America’s redemption, sanctioned by the divine. Consequently, the incident will raise Trump’s messianic profile, transforming those opposing him into infidels.
Naturally, this ascension in his significance will instigate an equally powerful counter-response. For many, Trump’s miraculous survival amplifies his image as an unyielding agent of destruction. The Democrats are likely to plunge into despair, given already heightened anxiety following Biden’s unimpressive performance during his debate with Trump on June 27th.
Trump has proven himself politically indestructible, having recovered from the backlash following the Capitol invasion by his supporters on January 6th, 2021. His recovery has positioned him as a leading contender for reclaiming the presidency in the upcoming November elections.
In a gruesome depiction of reality, he has become a legitimate representation of the undead. The harmful demise he endured and his subsequent immediate return to life on Saturday evening can be seen again and again by Americans through video footage. This theatrical incident intensifies the perception of American politics, already viewed by numerous citizens on both ends of the impending division as a binary struggle between good and evil, to an even higher level of a winner-takes-all situation.
The concept of this being a significant struggle was firmly established, but in the course of Saturday night, the term “a matter of life and death” took on a literal meaning. The impact on the societal consciousness can’t be positive.
If the circumstances were different, if there existed an arena for communal logical pondering, it would provide Americans with an occasion to consider how Trump himself has induced violence into their political arena: inspiring his followers to attack demonstrators at his gatherings, fuelling detestation against people he calls “vermin”, and lending support to armed white supremacist and neo-Nazi militias.
There could also have been a moment to investigate the mental instability inherent in America’s gun culture. There should be space for a regretful meditation on the irony that Trump has utilised that culture for his electoral advantage. He was officially supported by the National Rifle Association in May and promised to represent their cause as “the greatest ally gun owners have ever had in the White House”. This comes after a year that saw 42 mass murders in the US, resulting in the deaths of 217 individuals.
The 20-year-old potential murderer, Crooks, was spotted wearing a T-shirt that promoted a YouTube channel called Demolition Ranch with 11.6 million followers. The channel’s content includes “Which Bullet Goes the Deepest?”; “I Cut a .50 Caliber Sniper Rifle in Half”; and “I Specifically Built a Van for Drive-By Shootings”.
The fervent followers of Trump unquestionably see him as their political ally. Crooks fired at Trump and others at a rally with an AR-15 semi-automatic assault rifle – a firearm that was previously banned as they are seen as weapons of mass murdering. However, when they were introduced back to the public in 2004, it garnered a reputation as the “nation’s rifle” according to the NRA. In 2018, the New York Times reported that this rifle has become more than just a weapon, a symbol of liberty to some, a part of family values and a welcoming gift for soldiers.
If there was room for a rational argument following the attempted assassination, it might scrutinise how a culture that equates owning a lethal weapon to liberty also allows an authoritative Trump to be seen as a symbol of freedom by millions of Americans.
Nonetheless, such a possibility is not existent. The fact that Trump found himself a victim of the very violence he consistently justified won’t lead him or his supporters to reconsider. Instead, it will merely strengthen a mentality where America is perceived as internally conflicting.
The rising panic of an imminent civil war has made the idea increasingly self-perpetuating in recent years. It has instigated a motive for force: the belief that striking first prevents being struck by impending danger. Furthermore, this mentality encourages the need for an authoritative leader who isn’t limited by democratic restraints.
Regrettably, the attempted murder has only heightened this sense of looming disaster, tension and fear, which offers Trump a twisted benefit, ironically. Having consistently painted a picture of American disaster since the start of his political journey, the growing chaos allows Trump to soundly pose as America’s essential saviour amidst chaos.