Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) on Tuesday slammed Democrats and the media for their rhetoric regarding former President Trump, just days after the president faced a second assassination attempt.
“I want to address an issue that is at the center of our conversation right now, which is, of course, just a few days ago, my running mate, my dear friend and the president-elect, was again nearly assassinated — two assassination attempts in the space of a few months,” Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, told a crowd at a campaign event in Sparta, Michigan, on Tuesday.
“I think it's time to say to Democrats, to the media, to all the people who have been trying to attack and censor this man for 10 years, stop it or someone is going to get killed,” he said.
His criticism came after Secret Service agents on Sunday found a man pointing a rifle around Trump's golf club in West Palm Beach, Fla. Agents stationed just a few holes in front of the Republican candidate fired shots at the man, but the man fled the scene before the shots could be fired.
Authorities found two bags, a scoped rifle with ammunition and other items at the scene. Suspect Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, was arrested in connection with the assassination attempt and charged Monday with two federal firearms offenses.
The incident follows a failed assassination attempt on Trump in July when a gunman opened fire at a rally in Pennsylvania, hitting the former president in the ear. One rally attendee was killed and two others were injured before the gunman was shot dead.
Vance spoke about the Butler, Pennsylvania, shooting on Tuesday, saying Trump “didn't hide in his basement” after the violence because he wanted to be “the people's president.”
“By the way, we have about 500 Michigan patriots gathered inside and outside this building right now, and I would love to see an assassin try to get into this room,” the Ohio senator said. “If they try to get into this place right now, they've come to the wrong place.”
In response to the recent assassination attempt on President Trump, Vance said Republican candidates will continue to speak to voters ahead of the election, but called for Trump to have the same level of security that President Biden enjoys.
“This is a policy choice by the federal government that has determined that Donald Trump deserves a lower level of protection,” Vance said. “That's what any ex-president would do, but it clearly doesn't address the challenges facing Donald J. Trump, and therefore we should increase his security.”
Security has been stepped up near President Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort following the assassination attempt in July.
Vance argued that increased protections were needed because Democrats like Biden and Vice President Harris, as well as the media, have spread “ridiculous rhetoric” targeting Trump.
“It's ridiculous to lecture Donald Trump for toning down his rhetoric when two people tried to kill him,” he said. “Tell Kamala Harris, Joe Biden and all of her surrogates who are saying, 'We need to get rid of Donald Trump,' to stop with that bullshit, or someone is going to get hurt.”
The first-time senator acknowledged that polarizing rhetoric is coming from both parties, but said, “On one side, our candidates continue to be attacked.”
The FBI said in August that it had not determined what motivated 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, the shooter at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania, but was working to identify “various incidents and targets.”
Routh was indicted this week on charges of possessing a firearm after a felony conviction and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. A federal judge scheduled his arraignment for Sept. 30.
The Hill has reached out to Harris' campaign for comment.
