US elections in new volatile zone after alleged assassination attempt by Trump

At the White House, outgoing President Joe Biden told reporters, “Thank God the president is doing well.”

But the Secret Service “needs more help,” he said, “and I think Congress needs to respond to their needs.”

The protective service has come under heavy criticism following the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, in which a Trump supporter was killed in the crowd and the sniper, who reportedly acted alone, was shot dead in response to the shooting.

As a major party candidate and former president, Trump has a sizable security detail, but it’s smaller than that of a sitting president. That meant the bodyguards couldn’t cordon off the entire golf course, said Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, explaining how the suspect was able to get within a few hundred yards of Trump before being intercepted.

“The Secret Service did exactly what they should have done,” Bradshaw said.

The potential attacker has a long criminal record, according to US media, and was obsessed with the Ukrainian cause. He traveled to Ukraine claiming to volunteer and recruit foreign fighters to help repel the Russian invasion. He gave numerous interviews to the media, including AFP in 2022.

However, there is no evidence that he ever fought there or was able to join the Ukrainian army. His social media presence indicates a wide range of political leanings at home.

– Fear of wider violence –