In his first interview since the attempt on his rival’s life, Joe Biden defended the rhetoric he has used against Donald Trump. Speaking to NBC’s Lester Holt, the president stated that his campaign had a duty to clearly communicate the threat of a second Trump term. Biden acknowledged that it was a “mistake” to have used the phrase “time to put Trump in a bullseye” during a private donor call days before the assassination attempt. However, he disagreed with the notion that there was a need to tone down his rhetoric.
Biden clarified that his intention was to emphasize the need for Democrats to focus on Trump, his policies, and the false statements he made during the presidential debate. Despite the shooting, the president has repeatedly called for Americans to “lower the temperature” in political discourse. However, about a dozen Republicans have blamed Biden and Democrats at-large for inciting the attempt on Trump’s life, with many citing his “bullseye” comment.
During the private donor call, Biden had stated, “I have one job, and that’s to beat Donald Trump. I’m absolutely certain I’m the best person to be able to do that. So, we’re done talking about the debate. It’s time to put Trump in a bullseye.” In an Oval Office address following the attack, Biden denounced the violence and urged Americans to “take a step back,” cautioning that political rhetoric in the country had become increasingly heated.
When asked by NBC if he had examined his past remarks for anything that could incite individuals who are not balanced, Biden deflected and firmly stated that he had not engaged in such rhetoric. He pointed out that it was his opponent who was engaging in inflammatory language. Biden questioned how one could address the real threat to democracy when the president himself made statements that could potentially incite individuals.
FBI officials identified the gunman who targeted Trump as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old registered Republican and kitchen worker from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Crooks was shot dead by a Secret Service sniper after firing at the president.
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