On the night an alleged assassination attempt against President Donald Trump was foiled after a burst of gunfire at a press gala, the president took the podium in the White House briefing room afterward and talked about unity.
“This was an event dedicated to freedom of speech that was supposed to bring together members of both parties with members of the press,” Trump said April 25. “And in a certain way, it did — because the fact that they just unified, I saw a room that was just totally unified."
A day later, Trump told “60 Minutes” that Democrat “hate speech” was creating dangerous conditions. Not long after, the White House began lashing out at Democrats and the media over the shooting.
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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt blamed political violence on "demonization" of the president by Democrats and the media, saying in an April 27 press conference that "the left wing cult of hatred" against Trump has "gotten multiple people hurt and killed, and it almost did again this weekend."
Democrats responded by pointing to Trump’s long history of incendiary rhetoric, including calling political opponents "vermin" and the "enemy within." House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Leavitt should "clean up your own house."
The debate around political rhetoric contributing to violence has flared up in recent years, with Trump facing two previous assassination attempts. And a series of other attacks on political figures has sparked finger pointing on both sides.
After an assassin’s bullet grazed his ear during a 2024 campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump also nodded toward unity before using the shooting to vilify his opponents, despite investigators never uncovering a motive for the gunman. This time, the alleged shooter’s writings are adding to the scrutiny.
Alleged shooter’s words fuel debate
Prosecutors on April 27 charged Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California with attempting to assassinate Trump at the White House Correspondents Association dinner on April 25 at a hotel in Washington D.C..
Allen allegedly ran through a security checkpoint and fired a weapon. A Secret Service agent was shot, but was protected from serious harm by a bullet proof vest, authorities say. The agent fired five times at the suspect but missed, authorities say. Nobody was killed in the incident, and Allen was quickly apprehended.
A part-time teacher with a mechanical engineering degree from the California Institute of Technology, Allen registered to vote in California with “no party preference.” He donated $25 to then-Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.
In the charging documents, prosecutors included a portion of an email Allen allegedly sent to family members and former employer around the time of the shooting. The email is signed “Friendly Federal Assassin’ Allen.”
The email states that as a U.S. citizen “what my representatives do reflects on me” and he was unwilling to allow a “traitor to coat my hands with his crimes.” Allen said he was targeting Trump administration officials “prioritized from highest-ranking to lowest," according to the affidavit.
“I read a manifesto, which is-- he's radicalized,” Trump told “60 Minutes” April 26 about the alleged shooter.
Asked about people encouraging political violence, Trump said “I think the ones that are doing that are much more far left than far right.”
“I do think that the hate speech of the Democrats much more so is - is very dangerous,” Trump added later.
Democratic leaders condemned political violence in the wake of the shooting at the WHCA dinner.
"No matter the perpetrator and no matter the motive, political violence endangers our democracy," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said April 27. "I denounce political violence in all its forms, as I always have and always will."
Violence has spanned the political spectrum in recent years, with conservatives such as activist Charlie Kirk and Republican House Majority leader Steve Scalise targeted along with Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota and the Democratic governor of Pennsylvania. A mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 in an attempt to overturn President Joe Biden's victory.
Blaming Rhetoric
Leavitt at a Monday press conference criticized anti-Trump rhetoric.
“This political violence stems from a systemic demonization of him and his supporters by commentators, yes by elected members of the Democrat party and even some in the media,” Leavitt said, adding: “Much of the manifesto is indistinguishable from the words that we hear daily from so many.”
A Tuesday White House press release continued to drive that point.
“The attack was not random; it was the predictable result of years of reckless, inflammatory, and escalating rhetoric from Democrats,” the release states.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said during an April 27 press conference that "the political violence and rhetoric has got to stop" and then lashed out at the media.
“Many people in this room, if we’re going to be honest about it, have done it as well,” Blanche told reporters. “They’re just as guilty as a lot of people on X. When you have reporters, when you have media, media just being overly critical and calling the president horrible names for no reason and without evidence, without proof, it shouldn't surprise us that this type of rhetoric takes place."
Democrats are pushing back. Jeffries scoffed at Leavitt’s comments, calling her a "disgrace" and a "stone cold liar" and accusing her of taking Democrats' words out of context.
Jeffries noted Trump pardoned Jan. 6 rioters, and also mentioned an incident where a man pled guilty to arson, terrorism and attempted murder for setting fire to the home of Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro. He said Leavitt should “Get lost. Clean up your own house before you have anything to say to us about the language that we use.”
Others have pointed to Trump slamming director and actor Rob Reiner and former Special Counsel Robert Mueller after their deaths, and years of similarly inflammatory statements.
“If you fail to unequivocally condemn Trump’s routine employment of violent rhetoric, no one is taking your histrionics against Democrats seriously right now,” Sarah Longwell, a long-time Republican strategist turned prominent Trump critic, wrote on social media.
Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told reporters she feels obligated to speak out against some of Trump’s actions but there is a “bright” line between raising concerns about the president’s policies and conduct and calling for violence, and she’s not aware of “anyone who has engaged in that.”
“I think that trying to use an opportunity to escape any accountability for any actions is just not a responsible course of action,” she added.
Contributing: Kathryn Palmer
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: White House blames assassination attempt on anti-Trump rhetoric; Dems push back
