By Mark Vargas, Editor-in-Chief
Originally published in Newsmax
(Editor’s Note: The following opinion column does not constitute an endorsement of any political party, or candidate, on the part of Newsmax.)
There’s no question that words have the power to inspire and motivate, or the power to destroy. In the Bible, a sharp tongue is described as a weapon that can cause destruction and disrupt the peace.
And for the past several years, Democrats have been using their tongue as a sword — stirring up hate with their words to divide America and make former President Donald Trump and his MAGA movement public enemy No. 1.
Need some examples? There are many – in fact hundreds, but consider some of the words of Vice President Kamala Harris over the past few years:
“Trump is a threat to our democracy and fundamental freedoms.”
“It’s on us to recognize the threat [Trump] poses.”
Or the words of President Joe Biden during speeches and media interviews:
“It’s time to put Trump in a bullseye.”
“Trump and MAGA Republicans are a threat to the very soul of this country.”
Last November, Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., said that Trump “is destructive to our democracy and he has to be eliminated.” And last June, Del. Stacey Plaskett, D-Virgin Islands, didn’t mince words; she just came right out and said it: Trump “needs to be shot.”
And as a result, this vile and dangerous rhetoric has inspired a whole new wave of physical threats on Trump’s life. And in the past three months alone, he’s been the target of not one but two assassination attempts.
The security failures during July’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, are both shocking and disturbing, leading Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who was briefed by officials involved with the investigation to conclude, “I think the American people are going to be shocked and appalled by our findings as to the lapses and failures on that day.”
But while security officials acknowledged the failures of that day in Butler and promised to do better next time, news breaks of a second assassination attempt while Trump golfed with friends at his private club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
And again, we find ourselves asking the very same questions as we asked after the Butler rally. But instead of asking how a gunman was allowed to hang out on a rooftop within close range long enough to take a shot at the former president, we’re now left wondering how a gunman was allowed to camp out and wander around the perimeter of Trump’s golf club for 12 hours with food and a rifle despite the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office being next door.
And how are some officials justifying this massive security breach? Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, a Democrat who’s running for a sixth term, offered this response: Security was not as tight around the golf club, which is across the street from his office, because Trump is “not the sitting president.”
While this bizarre response will certainly haunt the Democrat sheriff’s legacy, this type of rhetoric is also putting our dangerous adversaries around the world on notice: that Trump’s personal protection detail is having challenges.
On Tuesday, Trump received a classified briefing from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on credible threats coming from Iran and their plans to try to assassinate him and other officials, leading Trump to post a statement on his social media accounts, including X, saying in part:
“Big threats on my life by Iran. The entire U.S. Military is watching and waiting. Moves were already made by Iran that didn’t work out, but they will try again. Not a good situation for anyone. I am surrounded by more men, guns, and weapons than I have ever seen before.”
Words have power — and that lesson is being learned in more ways than one.
From 2007-2010, Mark Vargas served as a civilian in the Office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense, traveling to Baghdad, Iraq, 14 times. Follow Mark on Twitter: @markavargas. Read Mark Vargas’ Reports — Click Here Now.
