Gun Culture Under Scrutiny After Attempted Assassination of Trump

Foreign Affairs expert Robinder Sachdev highlighted that the easy availability of guns in the US is a contributing factor to the recent attack on former President Donald Trump. Despite efforts from various presidents to change gun laws, America's entrenched gun culture remains difficult to alter.

Highlighting the increasing gun culture in the United States, Foreign Affairs expert Robinder Sachdev said that the easy availability of guns in America is "definitely a contributing factor" to the attack on former President Donald Trump. He emphasized that in the US, people can just walk out of their homes, go to a nearby store, and buy a gun.

The foreign affairs expert said that anybody who wants to kill and is really intent on it can maybe arrange a gun anywhere in the world, however, in the US, you can buy a gun like you buy a pack of cigarettes. "On the one hand, anybody who wants to kill or has made up a mind can maybe arrange a gun anywhere in the world...if you're really intent on it. But the easy availability of guns in America is definitely a contributing factor. In the US, you can literally walk out of your home, go to the nearby grocery store, and buy a gun like a packet of cigarettes or beer," Sachdev told ANI.

He further stressed that the gun culture in America is very difficult to remove. "The gun culture in the US is very, very difficult to reduce or remove. It will never be," he said, adding that especially Trump's supporters are the ones who say that they need to have guns.

"Especially, the Trump supporters, the Republicans, are the ones who say that we need to have guns. If I want to defend my own home, and that is right, you know, my defence is my right. So that's why I need a gun. I love hunting. That's why I need a gun. I like to do sports. That's why I need a gun," he added. Sachdev said that a strong lobby is very strong and exists in America.

"All presidents, especially democratic presidents, even Biden, have tried. Obama tried, but they could not change the laws to make it difficult to get guns in the United States," he said. Donald Trump was on stage at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania's Butler before gunshots rang out and Secret Service agents stormed the stage, The Hill reported. The Secret Service agents surrounded the Republican candidate and escorted him off the stage, with blood visible across his face.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has termed the shooting at Trump an attempted assassination. FBI special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh office, Kevin Rojek, said, "This evening, we had what we're calling an assassination attempt against our former President Donald Trump. It's still an active crime scene." The FBI has identified the gunman involved in the assassination attempt against Donald Trump as Thomas Matthew Crooks.

A shooting at former US President Donald Trump's rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday (local time) has sparked concerns about political violence and increased awareness of past attacks and assassination attempts against presidents and candidates, CBS News reported. There have been multiple instances of past attacks on US presidents, former presidents, and major-party presidential candidates.

Of the 46 individuals serving as US President, 13 have been subject to actual or attempted assassinations, the number does not mention the Pennsylvania shooting incident involving Trump. At least seven of the past nine presidents have faced assaults, attacks, or assassination attempts. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)