Back-to-back mass shootings this weekend in El Paso and Dayton have inspired new calls for increased gun regulations, but it's not just the NRA and the Second Amendment that have drawn people's ire.
Several people have placed the blame on President Trump's rhetoric, especially in reference to the El Paso shooting. The suspected gunman, a 21-year-old white male named Patrick Crusius, may have written an online manifesto that described an attack on the border city in response to "the Hispanic invasion of Texas." Trump has spoken in similar terms about the influx of migrants at the southern border, which his administration is trying to curb through construction of a border wall and government raids.
Presidential candidates Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), former Housing Secretary Julián Castro, and former Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-Texas), who hails from El Paso, said Trump was responsible for the incidents, and O'Rourke said that he believes Trump is a white nationalist.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Conservative analysts haven't shied away from questioning whether Trump's language played a role in the shootings, either.
Trump condemned the shooting, but did not make any mention of the alleged manifesto. Following a mass shooting in New Zealand in March, which was carried out by a white supremacist, Trump said only a small group of people were white nationalists.
-
Should you downsize for retirement? Here's what to consider.The Explainer Moving to a smaller place may seem easier, but there are also some real benefits to staying put
-
What to do if you want to move but don't want to give up your low mortgage ratethe explainer 30-year mortgage rates are currently averaging 7% — and homeowners who secured rates closer to 3% during the pandemic are reluctant to sell their homes
-
Crossword: September 1, 2025The Week's daily crossword
-
Lisa Cook and Trump's battle for control the US FedTalking Point The president's attempts to fire one of the Federal Reserve's seven governor is represents 'a stunning escalation' of his attacks on the US central bank
-
RFK Jr. names new CDC head as staff revoltSpeed Read Kennedy installed his deputy, Jim O'Neill, as acting CDC director
-
Why is Trump suddenly interested in his enemies' mortgages?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the president continues targeting adversaries, he's turned to a surprising ally to provide ammunition for an emerging line of attack
-
'A symbol of the faceless corporate desire'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Truck drivers are questioning the Trump administration's English mandateTalking Points Some have praised the rules, others are concerned they could lead to profiling
-
DC prosecutors lose bid to indict sandwich throwerSpeed Read Prosecutors sought to charge Sean Dunn with assaulting a federal officer
-
White House fires new CDC head amid agency exodusSpeed Read CDC Director Susan Monarez was ousted after butting heads with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccines
-
Trump soaks up adoration in his made-for-TV Cabinet meetingsIN THE SPOTLIGHT The president's televised sessions have become a platform for his top lieutenants to demonstrate executive flattery
