The White House has blamed a 'left-wing cult of hatred' for a shooting at a gala correspondents dinner in Washington attended by President Donald Trump.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the incident, for which a suspect is due in court on Monday, was the third assassination attempt targeting Republican Trump in the past two years.
Leavitt stated that the 'left-wing cult of hatred' has gotten multiple people hurt and killed, and it almost did so again this weekend.
Trump himself has been criticized for using polarizing language towards political opponents, which some say can be violent.
However, in a press conference minutes after the attack, Trump took a more conciliatory tone towards the media, whom he has previously dubbed the 'enemy of the people.'
Leavitt said there had been 'systemic demonization' of the 79-year-old president, adding that nobody in recent years has faced more bullets and more violence than President Trump.
Those who have previously compared Trump to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler include his own Vice President JD Vance, when he was opposed to Trump in 2016.
