In the wake of the recent assassination attempt on former President Trump, Jen Psaki, the ex-White House press secretary, has urged the Republican National Committee (RNC) to reconsider its scheduled programming for the forthcoming convention.
Psaki's plea comes as part of a broader call to de-escalate the nation's political rhetoric.
During her appearance on "Meet the Press" this past Sunday, Psaki expressed her fear following the attempt on Trump's life. Her sentiments mirrored those of other panelists who advocated for a reduction in the divisive political discourse. As reported by Fox News, Psaki suggested that the RNC should modify the convention's lineup and content to "restore civility" and cool down the heated political climate.
"The convention is starting and unless the programming changes, the rhetoric and how the programming is set up is not actually calming the tone or restoring civility," Psaki stated. She warned that if the convention's current format persists, it could potentially reignite calls among Democrats for Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 race, which have currently been "paused."
Despite the recent attempt on Trump's life, the RNC and Trump campaign have confirmed that the Republican National Convention will "proceed" as planned, with increased security measures in place. Trump, who is expected to be formally nominated as the GOP's 2024 standard-bearer, expressed his anticipation for the event in a post on Truth Social, stating, "I truly love our country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin."
Psaki, who now hosts an MSNBC show, cautioned against exploiting the current situation for political gain. She argued that such actions could potentially fuel the existing danger and provoke "retaliation."
"For anyone out there who has a platform who thinks the moment right now is to be political and attack the other party you are feeding into the danger. You are making it more likely theres retaliation," she said. "I'm incredibly scared. I'm scared for journalists. I'm scared for people who have public platforms of all parties."
The assailant, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks from western Pennsylvania, was killed by law enforcement after reportedly shooting at Trump from a rooftop perch approximately 130 yards away. The shot grazed the upper part of Trumps right ear, causing visible bleeding. Amid the chaos, Trump was swiftly escorted off the stage by Secret Service agents, defiantly waving to his supporters and shouting, "Fight!"
Crooks, a registered Republican, had only participated in the Nov. 8, 2022, state election due to his age. Records reveal that he made a $15 donation to the Progressive Turnout Project, a Chicago-based political action committee that supports Democratic candidates and advocates for "key Democratic constituencies: young people, minorities and low-income people."
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