Ex-Obama official frets second Trump assassination attempt ‘will be used for political purposes’

Former Obama administration official and CNN analyst Juliette Kayyem fretted the second assassination attempt on former President Trump on Sunday will be used for political purposes in the election. 

“The problem is this is a safety issue that is being thrown into a very intense political environment in which the very fact of an assassination, a constitutional moment because it could have impacted voters, will be used for political purposes,” Kayyem said, reacting to the failed assassination attempt against Trump in Florida. “That to me is exceptionally unfortunate.” 

“Whatever your beliefs are, we do deserve to have campaigns where violence is not being used as either a sword or a shield,” Kayyem said, predicting that the assassination attempt will again be used as a political talking point in coming weeks. 

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On Sunday, there was another attempt on Trump’s life by a gunman as the former president was golfing at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Authorities have said the suspect, later identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, was 300 to 500 yards away from Trump before the Secret Service spotted him and opened fire. He fled but was arrested soon afterward.

Kayyem also said that there should be a reasonable expectation that political figures like Trump should be safe from harm. 

“I don’t care what you feel about him or [Kamala] Harris, this is the expectation that he will be safe,” she said. 

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Public records have found that Routh, who was arrested Sunday after allegedly pushing the muzzle of an AK-47 through the chainlink fence around the course where Trump was golfing, had at least 100 run-ins with the police throughout his life. 

Fox News Digital poured through the suspect’s alleged social media accounts on Sunday afternoon and found he prolifically posted about Trump, the war in Ukraine, the 2020 election and other world events.

The account also weighed in on the assassination attempt against Trump in July, calling on Vice President Kamala Harris to visit those injured at the Pennsylvania rally, because “Trump will never do anything for them.”

The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

Trump was wounded in another assassination attempt in July, when a gunman opened fire from a nearby roof during a rally in Pennsylvania and clipped his ear. One of Trump’s supporters, Corey Comperatore, was killed in the shooting, and the gunman was killed by law enforcement.

Harris, Trump’s 2024 opponent, released a statement expressing gratitude that Trump was safe.

“As we gather the facts, I will be clear: I condemn political violence. We all must do our part to ensure that this incident does not lead to more violence,” Harris said. “I am thankful that former President Trump is safe. I commend the U.S. Secret Service and law enforcement partners for their vigilance. As President Biden said, our Administration will ensure the Secret Service has every resource, capability, and protective measure necessary to carry out its critical mission.”

Fox News’ Landon Mion contributed to this report.