A New York Post editorial published Sunday placed responsibility on what it described as the "radical left" for fostering a political climate that may be contributing to repeated assassination attempts against President Donald Trump.
The editorial followed the latest incident Saturday night, in which a suspect came close to carrying out an attack on Trump at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner — marking the third such attempt in recent years. Trump was not injured.
"For the third time, an assassin Saturday night came far too close to killing Trump," the Post wrote, "in what's starting to seem like a pattern, the suspect was clearly a radicalized lefty."
According to the editorial, the suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen, expressed extreme anti-Trump views in a manifesto that echoed rhetoric often heard in political discourse.
"I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes," Allen allegedly wrote, referencing Trump.
The Post argued that such views do not emerge in a vacuum, pointing to repeated claims from political figures and commentators portraying Trump as authoritarian.
"Barely a day goes by without some Dem calling Trump an autocrat, a king, a dictator, Hitler," the editorial stated.
The piece also highlighted Allen's reported attendance at a "No Kings" protest, noting that such events reinforce the message that Trump represents a threat to democracy.
In addition, the editorial criticized efforts by some Democrats to link Trump to Jeffrey Epstein, saying those claims lack evidence. It also cited remarks from Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., as part of what it described as a pattern of inflammatory accusations.
Beyond rhetoric, the Post argued that some voices on the left have downplayed or even glorified political violence. It pointed to commentary and media appearances that it said frame extreme actions as justified.
"Please: How does murder square with democracy and law and order?" the editorial asked.
The Post acknowledged that individuals who carry out such acts are often mentally unstable, but argued that repeated exposure to extreme messaging can influence them.
"Sick individuals who hear outrageous charges from people considered authorities ... are apt to act on what they hear," it wrote.
The editorial also referenced past incidents involving threats or violence against public officials and institutions, suggesting a broader trend tied to heightened political tensions.
With three assassination attempts now targeting Trump, the Post warned of escalating risks if rhetoric does not cool.
"Violent #Resistance won't end well for anyone," the editorial concluded, urging political leaders and media figures to "knock off the inflammatory rhetoric" for the good of the country.
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