The United States of America narrowly avoided a cataclysmic political event as former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Penn­sylvania. The shooter missed, grazing Trump’s ear, and was quickly shot down by security forces.

One can imagine how a successful attempt could have derailed US politics. The current election cycle is already one of the most fractious we have seen, fought between two bitter rivals as the nation becomes increasingly partisan, against the backdrop of multiple global wars and genocides. Trump supporters have already demonstrated their procliv­ity for violence against the state, as their storming of the US Congress building aptly showed. With the country awash in guns of all shapes and sizes, Trump’s assassination could have set off an unpredictable chain of events that could have further destabilised the nation.

Thankfully, that outcome has been avoided, and the world breathed a sigh of relief. No one wants to see an unstable US, especially during the current global landscape. On the flip side, most failed assassina­tion attempts usually increase the popularity of the targeted politi­cian. Images of Trump bleeding, fist defiantly in the air, surrounded by security, with an American flag in the background, were every­where on social and traditional media. His stature has undoubtedly risen, even among voters who were on the fence about his candidacy.

This incident might prove to be the death blow to President Biden’s candidacy. Facing repeated calls to step down by his own party due to his diminishing cognitive abilities, Biden’s campaign has been on the ropes for a while now. This event will propel Trump to stratospheric levels, which a struggling Democratic party may not be able to match.

Paradoxically, the assassin might have ensured that Trump be­comes the next President of the United States.