FLASH
Shkruar nga Edward Luce
The only safe prediction for the increasingly unpredictable and turbulent American President is that he will now almost certainly build his controversial $400 million ballroom…
Another armed attacker, another seemingly close encounter with fate. Even in a country with a dark history of political violence, Donald Trump seems to attract more would-be assassins than others.
Rushing back to the White House from the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner, Trump was almost routinely calm. Speaking to the smartly dressed media, he said he had studied the history of assassinations and concluded that only the most important figures, such as Abraham Lincoln, are targeted. "I hesitate to say it's an honor, but I've done a lot," he said.
Although mass murders are part of everyday life in the US, just a week ago a man killed eight children in Louisiana, in a tragedy that only briefly gained attention, the last American president to be assassinated remains John F. Kennedy in 1963.
Saturday night's shooting marks the third assassination attempt on Trump in less than two years. The first, in July 2024, when a bullet grazed his ear during a speech in Pennsylvania, boosted his chances of reelection. The Republican convention a week later was dominated by the message that God had saved Trump to serve the nation.
This time, however, the wave of sympathy is expected to be more limited. The main difference is that the suspect, Col. Allen, did not approach Trump. Although the news channels portrayed it as another close encounter, Allen was not in the room at all. Shots were fired, but the president was not in immediate danger.
In Pennsylvania, a bloodied Trump raised his fist and shouted, “Fight, fight, fight.” That scene marked part of his campaign. Saturday’s incident at the Washington Hilton was no such moment. Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded at the same spot in 1981. Although it happened early in his presidency, the boost in the polls was temporary. It would be surprising if Trump took political advantage of the occasion.
However, he is expected to try to exploit the incident politically. It is common in MAGA circles to claim that the American left is inciting political violence through extreme rhetoric against Trump and his associates. This narrative was reinforced by Trump himself and his vice president, JD Vance, after the murder of MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk last September. Trump ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff, while some citizens lost their jobs because of their reactions on social media.
Trump is currently lagging in the polls. His approval rating fell to a record low of below 40% last week. Only 30% of Americans approve of his handling of the economy, a worrying sign for Republicans ahead of the congressional elections. Growing discontent with his Iran policy has also pushed him to a low point.
Shortly before the Hilton incident, Trump’s negotiating team with Iran pulled out of a second round of talks in Islamabad after the Iranian side said it would not participate. Ironically, assassinations have also played a role in his diplomatic difficulties. Operation “Epic Rage” began with a deadly attack on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28. Subsequent US-Israeli strikes eliminated senior Iranian figures, making it harder to find credible negotiators.
It remains unclear who currently holds authority in Iran, as the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is believed to have been seriously injured.
In this context, Trump's political future is more tied to his foreign policy decisions than to the recent assassination attempt on him. "They can call us anytime," he declared of the Iranians. However, Tehran seems to believe that time is working in its favor.
Whether Trump will resume bombing or offer concessions to restore negotiations remains uncertain.
What seems more certain is that he will press ahead with his $400 million White House ballroom project. According to a tweet he posted in the early hours of Sunday: “Can’t get it built fast enough!!”. /Adapted from FT /
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