USA Biden warns against violence - Trump apportions blame

The suspected attempted attack on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has once again brought concerns about politically motivated violence in the USA into focus.

President Joe Biden warns of further escalation and calls for the Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting high-ranking politicians, to be strengthened. Trump blames the Democrat and his deputy Kamala Harris for the incident.

The main suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, has since been charged. The motive remains unclear. The investigation is in full swing.

Biden: Don't give violence oxygen

At an appearance in Philadelphia in the US state of Pennsylvania, Biden called for violence to be prevented. "We must not give it oxygen," he said. Conflicts must be resolved at the ballot box. The President also called for the Secret Service to be better equipped. The funds for this are approved by the US Parliament. Representatives of both parties in Congress signaled their willingness to increase the budget for bodyguards.

The White House announced that Biden and Trump had spoken on the phone after the incident. In the "friendly conversation", Biden expressed his relief that Trump was safe. The latter thanked him for the call. Trump himself initially made no comment on the conversation.

Trump accuses Biden and Harris

The Republican had previously blamed both Biden and Vice President Harris, against whom he will be running in the presidential election on November 5, for the incident. "Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at," he said on Fox News. He later added on his Truth Social platform: "Because of this communist leftist rhetoric, the bullets are flying and it's only going to get worse!" The Republican also used the incident as an opportunity to send out several fundraising appeals to fill his campaign coffers.

Suspect charged

Meanwhile, the main suspect in the incident in Florida has been charged in a federal court in the state. Ryan Wesley Routh is charged with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with a serial number removed. Further charges could follow.

According to media reports, the 58-year-old worked as a building contractor in Hawaii. He frequently made political statements on social networks, including about the war in Ukraine. According to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the suspect's "active online presence" is currently the focus of the investigation, as are previous criminal offenses and possible further suspicions. Reports that he wanted to recruit Afghan soldiers to fight in Ukraine are also being investigated.

Investigation in full swing

Initial findings indicate that Routh was probably acting alone. After his arrest, he invoked his right to an attorney and has remained silent ever since, as Ric Bradshaw, the sheriff responsible for Palm Beach County, explained.

The Secret Service discovered the armed suspect on Sunday afternoon in the bushes near the fence of Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, and immediately opened fire on him. According to the sheriff, it is still unclear where the security forces' bullets hit and where the suspect's gun came from. Cell phone data suggests that he had been in the vicinity of the crime scene for around twelve hours beforehand.

According to the police, Routh did not fire a shot and fled in a car. Thanks to a witness, investigators were able to quickly identify the getaway vehicle and the suspect. Routh was arrested shortly afterwards. In addition to a rifle, investigators also found food supplies, a camera and ceramic tiles at the crime scene, which were possibly intended to serve as improvised protection against bullets from the security forces.

Security concerns ahead of the election

The incident fueled the debate about security measures to protect candidates just weeks before the presidential election. Sheriff Bradshaw emphasized that the protective measures for Trump could not be higher at the moment. Shortly after the suspected attempted attack, he had said that Trump enjoyed less protection than an incumbent president: "He's not the incumbent president - if he was, we would have surrounded the entire golf course," said Bradshaw.

As recently as July, Trump was the target of an assassin at a campaign event in Pennsylvania, who shot him slightly in the ear. One visitor to the open-air event was killed. The shooter was killed and his motive is still unknown. The incident led to criticism of the Secret Service, whose chief resigned as a result. Interim chief Ronald Rowe has now explained that numerous measures taken since then have helped officials in Florida to react quickly.