“The View” co-host Sunny Hostin on Monday condemned the number of people who reportedly support violent acts against Republican nominee Donald Trump following a second assassination attempt targeting the former president.
The suspect, 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, was taken into custody on Sunday after he allegedly pointed an AK-47-style weapon at Trump while he was golfing at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Hostin cited a June 24 poll led by University of Chicago political scientist Robert Pape, which found that 10% of American adults believe the “use of force is justified” to prevent Trump from getting reelected.
“I was just reading this morning, a recent University of Chicago poll examines support for political violence in the United States. And there is more support for violence today against Trump and others,” Hostin said. “Against Trump, 10% of American adults think it’s okay, and 26 million adults who support violence to prevent Trump from regaining the presidency, more than 30,000 of those own guns and almost 80% have access to internet organizational tools. That’s despicable, what do we do?”
Sunny Hostin said the number of Americans supporting violent acts against Trump is “despicable” pic.twitter.com/12lgnYAFWi
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 16, 2024
Pape wrote in a July 14 op-ed for the Boston Globe that he was “immediately concerned” with his findings, pointing out that the 10% of people supporting violence against Trump are “politically active” and have the “capacity for violence.” He also emphasized how the survey found that 7% of American adults are willing to engage in political violence in order to restore Trump to the White House. (RELATED: ‘We Have To Be Honest’: ‘The View’ Co-Host Says ‘Time Is Running Out’ To Beat Trump)
Co-host Sara Haines blamed the normalizing of “political rhetoric” and “hate speech” for the rise in political violence across the U.S. Co-host Ana Navarro said that the panel condemned political violence which she said has become a major part of American culture.
Hostin pointed fingers at Americans’ alleged “fascination with guns” for these violent attempts against Trump and other political figures.
During the first assassination attempt against Trump, a bullet hit the former president in the upper portion of his right ear at a July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, after 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired 8 rounds into the crowd. The incident led to an investigation into the Secret Service’s handling of the situation, ultimately leading to former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle’s resignation on July 23.
At least 5 Secret Service members were put on leave over their handling of the assassination attempt.
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