Comment|The secret service is in for a hard time, HS’s Washington correspondent Elina Väntönen writes in her comment.
Washington
Either again?
This thought could not be avoided on Sunday, when the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump had to reportedly already the target of another assassination attempt.
It’s only been two months since the last time. At the time, there was an attempted shooting at Trump’s own campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania.
On Sunday, the same thing happened again at Trump’s own golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida.
At least that’s what we suspect. According to the Secret Service, what happened has an impact and is currently being investigated as an attempted assassination. That’s how the American media also treated it: no other news topic could fit into Sunday evening.
The situation was not as dramatic as in Butler, because Trump escaped unscathed. The suspect hiding behind the fence apparently didn’t even have time to fire his weapon.
However, according to experts, the suspect’s equipment indicated “a very high level of advance planning”.
And it was close this time too.
If the secret service agent hadn’t noticed the barrel of the rifle sticking through the chain link fence, the events could have ended very differently.
Although a single agent probably saved Trump’s life with his quick action, the secret service will be punished.
It has long been concerned about Trump’s vulnerability on golf courses, which are difficult to secure permanently. In the middle of a wide open area, you can reach the target from almost any direction.
Despite this, the obvious question is: Was enough done? How is it possible that the suspect got within a few hundred meters of the ex-president with an assault rifle?
At least for an advanced shooter, it would be within easy range.
Based on what was seen on Sunday, several experts estimate that Trump’s current level of security is simply not sufficient.
The presidential candidate has already ended up in the sniper’s crosshairs twice within two months. Now there are less than two months until the election day.
More information of course, much more is needed than the success of Trump’s protection. The most pressing question is motive.
The suspect is a 58-year-old man with several parole sentences from more than ten years ago. He is from North Carolina, recently lived in Hawaii and has at least two children. He has said that he voted for Trump in 2016 but was disappointed.
Published last year by The New York Times in the article the suspect posed as a volunteer who fought in Ukraine and recruited Afghans fleeing the Taliban to Ukraine.
The Ukraine background caused speculation about a political motive to flare up. Trump has repeatedly refused from answering the question if he hopes for Ukraine’s victory.
However, this is just a guess. The hearings will begin soon.
Unlike Butler’s case, this time there is reason to assume that the motive will be clear.
Butler’s shooter was killed by Secret Service bullets. The reason for the act has largely been left to guesswork.
Until election day is less than two months.
Most recently, Trump failed to capitalize on the wave of sympathy that followed the assassination attempt.
It will be interesting to see what kind of role he takes on now.
Trump’s was told being shocked after what happened, but in a good mood. He had joked that he was upset when the putting shift was missed.
At least what happened is believed to be useful in fundraising as it was last time. The text message came already on Sunday evening:
“Another attempt to take my life has made me even more determined. Unity, peace, MAGA!”
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