‘They’re Eating the Cats,’ and the Second Assassination Attempt: How Toxic Rhetoric Can Be

Less than a week after Vice President Kamala Harris claimed “it’s up to the American people to stop him,” referring to Donald Trump at their presidential debate, Secret Service thwarted a second assassination attempt targeting the former president at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. 

Just over two months after an assassin opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Ryan Wesley Routh camped outside of Trump International Golf Club with an AK-47, a GoPro camera, and a backpack.

Trump was at the fifth hole when a Secret Service agent saw Routh with what appeared to him to be a rifle. The would-be assassin was less than 500 yards away when the agent discharged 4-6 rounds at him. 

Routh now faces two gun charges, but many Americans, including the former president, blame politicians and the media for continuing to push dangerous rhetoric that incites this kind of violent behavior. 

Who could forget comedian Kathy Griffin posing holding a bloody Trump mask as if it were his severed head or California Representative Maxine Waters encouraging her supporters to harass Trump administration officials? 

In a recent post on X, Trump directly called out Harris’ rhetoric and lies during their presidential debate. He even blamed this type of language from the Left for the second gunman’s behavior. 

Those in the Left have raised similar concerns regarding rhetoric following the presidential debate. However, they point specifically to Trump’s accusations that illegal Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are eating residents’ cats and dogs. 

CNN’s Dana Bash scrutinized the legitimacy of such claims while interviewing Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance. During a particularly heated exchange, Bash accused Vance of putting his constituents ‘at risk’ with his claims about the Haitians.

While the specific facts of these stories may leave much room to speculate, one thing remains clear: The rhetoric this election cycle is becoming deadly. 

Tune into the “Problematic Women” podcast here live at noon Eastern on Thursday, September 19, for more.