Editorial: After a third attempt on his life, Trump could work to make America safer again

The Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial Board, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Apr 28, 2026

Published in Op Eds

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President Donald Trump has now been involved in what appears to be an unprecedented three attempts on his life. It must be jarring for someone with so much wealth and the full protection of the United States government to think he could still come within a whisker of being shot in America.

Sadly, the attack at the White House correspondents’ dinner on Saturday will likely come and go with little consequence or reflection. But just imagine if Trump said enough is enough and used his immense charisma to turn those searing acts of horror into something positive by demanding commonsense gun reform.

With one Truth Social post, Trump could change the course of history. He could help bring a divided country together by having Democrats and Republicans work on bipartisan legislation to help reduce gun violence in America.

He would forever be remembered as the president who made America safer again.

What if Trump told Congress he would like a package of commonsense gun reform bills on his desk before Election Day? Simple measures like universal background checks for every gun sale, including private transfers and gun shows, and increasing the minimum age requirement to purchase all guns to 21.

He could insist the legislation incorporates what are known as red flag laws, which allow family members and law enforcement to ask a judge to temporarily remove firearms from individuals displaying dangerous behavior.

Trump could also require gun owners to report lost or stolen guns, and to prevent individuals deemed to be a danger to themselves due to mental illness from purchasing guns. He could also demand laws that mandate safe storage of firearms from children to help prevent accidents and suicides.

None of those measures would infringe on the rights of law-abiding gun owners, but they would help reduce easy access to guns, especially for those with mental health issues. And make the country better for everyone.

This goes without saying: Although this board’s disagreements with the president’s policies are abundantly on the record, we — like others of goodwill — condemn this attempt on his life, and all acts of political violence.

By using the power of the presidency to take steps that could have a meaningful impact on firearm deaths, Trump has a chance to be a hero. He could champion something positive and leave a transformative legacy.

Regrettably, that opportunity grows more unlikely by the minute. Instead of seeking unity, the president will soon be back to posting insults, lies, threats, hate, vitriol, and late-night diatribes aimed at his perceived enemies — and giving no thought to how his anger and hate over the past decade have fueled the political divide.

In fact, shortly after the shooting, Trump was already using the incident to stump for his unnecessary $400 million White House ballroom, a project that only about a quarter of Americans support.

Sure, there likely may be the usual talk about the need for both sides to tone down the political rhetoric, but that won’t last. Soon, everyone will be back at each other’s throats.

People like Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and other tech executives will not stop for one second to think about their roles in the spread of political hate, lies, and conspiracies.

Most Republican or Democratic elected leaders will not bother to even have a debate about the need to address the easy access to guns in America, let alone try to do something constructive.

Scores of mass shootings at elementary schools, Catholic schools, high schools, churches, synagogues, movie theaters, nightclubs, restaurants, concert halls, grocery stores — in cities and small towns and every state — have done little to shake the political consciousness in this country.

Elected officials have done nothing for decades despite polls that consistently show the majority of Americans — including many gun owners — support commonsense gun reforms.

In an America where violence has become normalized, don’t expect another shooting involving the president to make a difference.

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