Could the Foiled Assassination Attempt on Donald Trump Change the Presidential Race?

Could the Foiled Assassination Attempt on Donald Trump Change the Presidential Race? Barry McLoughlin, President, TLC Transformational Leadership Consultants Inc.

Over a century ago, Winston Churchill famously wrote, "There is nothing so exhilarating as being shot at without result." On a personal level, this sentiment may ring true. Surviving an assassination attempt brings a mix of relief and adrenaline. However, the political implications of such an event, especially in the heat of a presidential campaign, are far more complex.

The foiled assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, coming just two months after the first in Butler, PA, has already sparked debate about its potential impact on the race. Could it alter the trajectory of the election? Could it transform Trump’s public image, or merely deepen the divisions that define modern American politics?

After the first attempt on his life, Trump wasted no time positioning himself as a fighter, rallying his base with the message that he wouldn’t be stopped. This narrative fit snugly into his broader campaign rhetoric: a man under siege from political enemies, an embattled warrior taking on the Biden administration, the "weaponized DOJ," and a plethora of legal challenges. He even insinuated that the Biden administration might have had a hand in the attack—a conspiratorial flourish that many of his supporters were more than willing to believe. There are several lessons Trump could learn, if he’s willing.

First, he should have tried something that seems antithetical to his brand: humility. Surviving an assassination attempt or being within gunshot sound of a foiled assassination attempt is no small thing, and it offers an opportunity for personal and public reflection. Trump’s default, however, is to respond with attacks, using the event as just another attack opportunity against his opponent. He did thank the police for their response, but an expression of gratitude for surviving might make him seem more relatable, even Presidential.

Second, Trump needs to tone down the mean-spirited rhetoric. His trademark ALL-CAPS tweets like the one he fired at Taylor Swift—often dripping with sarcasm and vitriol—distract from the seriousness of the moment. Now would be the time for restraint.

Third, Trump could benefit from self-deprecating humour. Just three years before his own death at the hands of an assassin, John F. Kennedy was asked, "how did you become a war hero?" Kennedy famously quipped, "it was involuntary. They sank my boat." Trump, however, tends to do the opposite, turning every event into a self-aggrandizing narrative. A little humour might soften his image and even endear him to undecided voters.

Fourth, Trump should stop alleging that political opponents, like Vice President Kamala Harris, were responsible for the attempt on his life. Trump however jumped at the opportunity to do just that. He immediately laid the blame at the doorstep of Kamala Harris, Joe Biden and the Democrats. He told Fox News Digital that, “the alleged would-be shooter believed the rhetoric of Biden and Harris, and he acted on it.”

So, a golden opportunity to bridge the divide and reach out to the voter segment who are tired of the ‘blame and complain’ brand of politics was instantly discarded and immediately echoed by his campaign team, his son Donald J. Trump Jr. and the MAGA talking heads. This is not an issue to be "weaponized." Leaning into baseless conspiracy theories is not going to reach the ‘reachable voter’.

Finally, Trump needs to show genuine gratitude for his survival. There’s a human element to narrowly escaping death that transcends politics. In fact, to have come that close to such a violent attack creates an aura that enables the politician to rise above the usual political wrangling. ?If he can tap into that, it might be his most Presidential moment yet.

In the end, Winston Churchill understood something profound about the human condition when he spoke of the exhilaration of surviving an attempt to kill him. But Churchill also knew how to use such moments to inspire unity and strength. Trump would do well to follow in Churchill’s footsteps, not just as a fighter, but as a leader who rises above the fray.

If Trump can do that, it may just change the dynamics of the final weeks of this campaign. But as he has already demonstrated, don’t count on Donald Trump doing that.

Barry McLoughlin is a leadership communications consultant specializing in executive communications who has worked closely with Prime Ministers, Premiers, candidates across Canada as well as for the U.S. Senate. Along with his partner, Laura Peck, he teaches strategic communications in the Executive Security and Intelligence Certificate Program at the Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa and the Shannon School of Business at Cape Breton University.