Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki has called on the Republican National Committee to overhaul its planned programming for the upcoming party convention to avoid an “escalation” of national rhetoric in the wake of the assassination attempt on former President Trump.
Appearing on “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Psaki said she felt “scared” in the wake of the assassination attempt on former President Trump, echoing other panelists who called for the country to refrain from divisive political rhetoric.
Ahead of the Republican National Convention starting on Monday, Psaki said the party should adjust its scheduled speakers and programming to ease tensions and “restore civility.” She said there had been a “pause” among Democrats calling for Biden to drop out of the 2024 presidential race, but the convention could reignite the debate.
After assassination attempt, Trump says “only God prevented the unthinkable”
Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump is assisted by security guards after shots rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, USA, on July 13, 2024. (Reuters/Brendan McDiarmid)
“The Games are on, but unless the program changes, the rhetoric, the structure of the program, is not going to calm the atmosphere or bring back civility,” Psaki said. “Whether the program changes remains to be seen, but if it stays the same, things will escalate. This is not a civil approach to the Games.”
The Republican National Convention, where Trump will be formally nominated as the Republican Party’s standard-bearer for 2024, “will take place.” and Elevated safety The campaign continued despite the assassination attempt on Trump, according to the RNC and the Trump campaign.
Who Was Thomas Matthew Crooks? Everything We Know About the Trump Assassin
“I love this country and I love you all, and I look forward to speaking to this great nation from Wisconsin this week,” Trump said. Posted on Truth Social Sunday morning.
Psaki, now an MSNBC host, said those who use the opportunity to promote their own politics or shore up their policies are “stoking danger” and risking “retaliation.”
Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump is assisted by US Secret Service agents after shots rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, USA, on July 13, 2024. (Reuters/Brendan McDiarmid)
“Anyone with a platform who thinks now is the time to get political and attack the other party is fueling danger. They’re increasing the likelihood of retaliation,” she said. “I’m very scared. I’m scared of journalists. I’m scared of people with public platforms of any political party.”
The gunman was identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old man from western Pennsylvania. Crooks reportedly shot Trump from a rooftop about 130 yards away, striking him above the right ear, before being shot dead by police. The bloody former president was hurriedly escorted off the stage by Secret Service agents.
Crooks killed one rally attendee and seriously injured two others. Trump, bleeding from his ears and face, waved defiantly to his supporters and yelled “Fight!” as he was hustled off the stage by Secret Service agents.
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A crowd reacts after a shooting at a rally for former Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
According to voting records, Crooks was registered as a Republican. November 8, 2022 State Election He dropped out of the race because of his age, and records show he gave $15 to the Progressive Turnout Project, a Chicago-based political action committee that supports Democratic candidates for office and claims to advocate for “the Democratic Party’s core constituencies: young people, minorities and low-income voters.”
Reached for comment by Fox News Digital, the Republican National Committee pointed to an earlier statement that the convention would go ahead as scheduled.
Fox News’ Scott MacDonald contributed to this report.
