Vance: Dems need to ‘cut this crap out’ after possible assassination attempt

Vance, speaking at the Faith and Freedom Coalition in Atlanta, finished his remarks acknowledging that this was his first public appearance since authorities arrested a suspect who was found at Trump International Golf Course in Florida with an AK-47 style rifle, two backpacks and a GoPro. Federal authorities are investigating the incident as a possible assassination attempt on the former president. The suspect was not registered with either party but had made small donations to Democrats in the past. Vance took the opportunity “to call for a reduction in the ridiculous and inflammatory political rhetoric.”

Vance also promised to do his part to “tone down the rhetoric,” before adding that people who say Trump needs to be eliminated should “cut it out” in particular, a reference to words from New York Rep. Dan Goldman, who has since apologized. Vance’s comments come after he fueled rumors about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, eating pets. As of Monday afternoon, Gov. Mike DeWine said there have been over 30 bomb threats at elementary schools, hospitals and city hall in Springfield in the aftermath of the Haitian comments by Trump and others.

“I know it’s popular on a lot of corners of the left to say that we have a both-sides problem,” Vance said. “And I’m not going to say we’re always perfect. I’m not going to say that conservatives always get things exactly right.”

Vance’s comments were more measured than Trump’s, who on Monday said the rhetoric from Harris and President Joe Biden “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.” Other Trump allies also sought to blame Democrats for the possible assassination attempt, including Dan Scavino, who responded to Harris’ statement about the incident by posting on social media that “You’re not glad he is safe — it is your rhetoric that has caused this, AGAIN!!!!!”

In the aftermath of the potential assassination attempt, Harris put out a statement saying she was disturbed by the incident and condemned political violence. Harris’ campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Moments after the event, Vance released a lengthy statement on X, where he continued his calls for toning down rhetoric — but specifically called on Americans to “reject censorship” and blamed the media for their coverage of the Haitian migrants in Springfield and the potential attempted assassination in West Palm Beach.

“When I ask you to ‘tone down the rhetoric’ it’s not about being nice — our citizens have every right to be mean, even if I don’t like it — or empty platitudes,” Vance said in a statement. “Instead, I’m asking all of us to reject censorship. Reject the idea that you can control what other people think and say.”

He later added, “It is one thing to say that pets are not, in fact being eaten, and another thing to say that anyone who disagrees is trying to murder people. Dissent, even vigorous dissent, is a great tradition of the United States. Censorship is not.”

Vance also argued that Americans need to “reject censorship” to “reject political violence” and pledged to “defend your right to speak your mind.”

And after he defended casting a national spotlight on Springfield over the weekend, Vance again refuted that he had any responsibility for the bomb threats and instead blamed the media for its coverage of Springfield. He said “The double standard is breathtaking.”

“The threat of violence is disgraceful of course, yet the media seems to relish it. They cover a bomb threat, but not the rise in murders,” Vance said in a statement. “They cover the threat, not rising insurance rates or the car accidents that caused them. They cover the threat, not the failures of Kamala Harris’s leadership.”