Democrats have repeatedly used violent rhetoric against former president: 'Time to put Trump in a bullseye'
Several Democrat politicians have faced scrutiny for their anti-Trump rhetoric, which has intensified after the former president was the target of a second assassination attempt on Sunday amid claims from the media that his rhetoric is the reason for increased division in the United States.
Earlier this year, President Biden told donors in a private call that the media isn’t doing enough to scrutinize Trump and that it was "time to put Trump in the bulls-eye." Biden, after the first assassination attempt against Trump, acknowledged it was a "mistake" to use that term.
Biden, along with VP Kamala Harris, have accused Trump of being a "threat to Democracy" on several occasions.
Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman, who quickly apologized for the comment, said last year that Trump is so "dangerous" to Democracy that he "has to be eliminated."
"More and more dangerous. We saw what happened on January 6th, when he used his inflammatory rhetoric now, and his recent truth social post is incredibly, incredibly scary for anyone that might be trying to work in government. And it is just unquestionable at this point that man cannot see public office again. He is not only unfit, he is destructive to our democracy, and he has to be eliminated."
Goldman strongly condemned political violence after the first assassination against Trump saying that he was "horrified" by the news. Following the second assassination attempt, Goldman said he was "outraged."
Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters has long been criticized by Republicans for comments viewed to be inciting violence, including telling protesters in Minnesota to "get more confrontational" and encouraging Democrats to confront Trump officials if they see them in public.
"I just don't even know why there aren't uprisings all over the country, and maybe there will be, when people realize that this is a policy that they defend," then Democratic Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi said during a 2018 press conference while talking about Trump’s immigration policies. "It's a horrible thing and I don't see any prospect for legislation here."
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Pelosi's office said, "There never is a place for political violence of any kind in America. As the investigation into yesterday’s incident continues, let us commend law enforcement for their actions to keep the former President safe from harm."
TRUMP SAYS HE 'PROBABLY TOOK A BULLET TO THE HEAD' DUE TO DEM RHETORIC
Pelosi's husband, Paul, was the victim of political violence in 2022 when a man broke into their home and attacked him with a hammer.
Trump told Fox News Digital after the assassination attempt in Florida on Sunday that he sees a connection between rhetoric from the left and that failed attack.
"He believed the rhetoric of Biden and Harris, and he acted on it," Trump said of the gunman. "Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country, and they are the ones that are destroying the country — both from the inside and out."
Trump pointed to Biden and Harris’ past comments casting Trump as a "threat to democracy," while telling Americans they are "unity" leaders.
"They are the opposite," Trump said. "These are people that want to destroy our country."
He added: "It is called the enemy from within. They are the real threat."
On Monday, Trump released a list of dozens of Democrats who have made provocative comments against him including a clip from Harris saying, "Does one of us have to come out alive" when talking about if she'd rather be stuck on elevator with Trump, then-VP Pence, or former Sen. Jeff Sessions.
"Democrats used increasingly incendiary rhetoric against President Trump in the days, weeks, and months leading up to the two assassination attempts," the press release stated.
Harris said on Monday she was "deeply disturbed" by Sunday's attempted attack on Trump and Biden said, "Thank God" the president was unharmed.