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Authorities Search for a Motive in the Attempted Assassination of Trump

What's going on: Officials are trying to answer what may have led a 20-year-old Pennsylvania man to try to kill former President Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, PA, over the weekend. The gunman, who was killed by the Secret Service, hit and bloodied Trump’s ear, killed a 50-year-old retired fire chief, and critically injured two other male attendees. Authorities said the gunman used an AR-15-style rifle that his father had purchased. They also found explosive devices in the shooter’s car. The FBI — which is investigating the attack as an attempted assassination and an act of domestic terrorism — said it hasn’t found any evidence that the gunman struggled with his mental health, and they believe he acted alone.

What it means: As authorities search for a motive, Trump and President Biden are calling for unity at a time when the country is divided over the 2024 election. In a statement on Truth Social, the former president told Americans to “remain resilient in our faith and defiant in the face of wickedness.” Speaking from the Oval Office last night, Biden condemned the political violence and urged people “to lower the temperature in our politics.” It comes as some Republicans like Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) and ​​Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) blame Biden and the Democrats’ anti-Trump rhetoric for leading to the attempted assassination. That’s as others point fingers at the media. 

Related: Conspiracies and Misinformation About the Attack Spread on Social Media (WaPo Gift Link)

Politics

Questions Mount Over the Security Failures at Trump's Rally

What's going on: All eyes are on the Secret Service to explain how it could have suffered its biggest security failure since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981. As a former president and presidential candidate, Trump receives Secret Service protection by law. And when it comes to campaign rallies, security sweeps around the event’s perimeter are typically routine. Authorities said the Secret Service’s counter-sniper and counterassault teams were at the rally. Yet, a gunman was able to fire his weapon within 400 to 500 feet of where Trump took the stage, leaving many shocked and fearful that there could be more acts of political violence ahead of November.

What it means: Lawmakers are looking into what happened, with the GOP-led House Oversight Committee scheduled to hear from the Secret Service director on July 22. President Biden also said he ordered an “independent review” of the rally’s security measures. Meanwhile, the attempted assassination has put a spotlight on political violence, which has become more apparent in recent years — from the Jan 6 insurrection, the attack on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) husband, to the 2017 shooting of House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA). One report from the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School found that 43% of state legislators experienced threats or attacks in the last three years and 18% of local officeholders in the past year and a half.

Related: Politicians Back RFK Jr.’s Request for Secret Service Protection (Politico)

Politics

Republicans and Law Enforcement Are on High Alert As the RNC Begins Today

What's going on: The Republican National Convention kicks off today in Milwaukee, WI. Law enforcement officials told CBS they are working to expand the event’s safety perimeter as more than 50,000 people are expected to attend. The RNC, which will last four days, will bring nearly 2,400 delegates together to approve the party’s platform and formally nominate former President Trump as the GOP’s presidential candidate. Trump is expected to accept the nomination on Thursday and to announce his pick for vice president at the convention. The rumored VP shortlist includes Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Sen. JD Vance (R-OH), and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. The event will also bring speeches from supporters like UFC’s Dana White, model Amber Rose, and former GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley.

What it means: When Trump first announced his plans to run for president in 2015, many in the GOP didn’t take his campaign seriously. Nine years later, Trump has secured the Republican Party’s nomination for the third time. All the while, he’s maintained a strong influence on the party, even after losing the 2020 election to President Biden. Now, in the wake of the assassination attempt, the Republican Party appears more united than ever as it makes its pitch to voters ahead of November.

Related: The RNC’s Original Safety Plan Allows Guns Just Blocks From the Event (Axios)