Swansenreport

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt used Monday’s press briefing to directly blame Democratic elected officials by name for the political climate she says inspired Saturday night’s assassination attempt on President Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

Leavitt blamed the left’s “crazed rhetoric” aimed at President Trump for inspiring the gunman who charged toward the Washington Hilton ballroom where Trump and his Cabinet were attending the event. Washington Times She stated that “hateful and constant and violent rhetoric directed at President Trump day after day after day for 11 years has helped to legitimize this violence and bring us to this dark moment.” UPI

Among those she called out by name were House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, whom she quoted saying “we are in an era of maximum warfare everywhere, all the time,” as well as Senators Elizabeth Warren, Adam Schiff, and Ed Markey, Governor Josh Shapiro, Governor JB Pritzker, and Representatives Ayanna Pressley and Monica McIver. The Daily Beast

The comments were a marked contrast to those made by Trump himself in the hours immediately after the attack, when he said the event had unified members of both parties and the press. NOTUS House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries sharply rebuked Leavitt, calling out the White House for singling out Democrats while ignoring Trump’s own inflammatory rhetoric over the years. CNN

Suspect Cole Tomas Allen, 31, was charged Monday with attempting to assassinate the president, discharging a firearm during a violent crime, and transportation of a firearm across state lines. Leavitt noted that Allen’s alleged manifesto echoed language commonly seen in public discourse and on social media. The National Desk The shooting marked the third major assassination attempt against Trump, following incidents in Butler, Pennsylvania in July 2024 and Florida in September 2024. Democracy Docket

Sources: Washington Times | UPI | NOTUS | CNN | The National Desk