World
January 3, 2025 08:57
united states - Following a violent attack and explosion, America is on high alert, raising concerns about the possibility of a violent 2025. The recent events have sparked tensions between President Biden and former President Trump.
"Joe Biden is the worst president in American history, a complete and total disaster," Donald Trump angrily tweeted following the recent violence in New Orleans and Las Vegas. The Republican blamed his predecessor's 'open borders policy' for allowing Islamic terrorism and other forms of violence to thrive.
Despite hopes for reconciliation at the upcoming inauguration in Washington, tensions between Biden and Trump remain high. The new president is emphasizing the political significance of recent deadly events. While the attacker in New Orleans was not a migrant but a U.S.-born army veteran sympathizing with ISIS, this fact has been overlooked. Similarly, the driver of the exploded vehicle in Las Vegas was also a U.S. military officer.
The nation is on edge after the New Year's violence. The National Guard is patrolling the streets of New Orleans, and concerns about the vulnerability of soft targets like sports events and other gatherings are rising. The ease with which Shamsud-Din Jabbar plowed his rented pickup truck through the crowd in New Orleans' famous French Quarter, resulting in 15 deaths and 30 injuries, has raised alarm bells.
In Las Vegas, the Tesla Cybertruck explosion in front of the Trump hotel on the Strip remains shrouded in mystery. Authorities suspect a potential act of terrorism. The driver, a 37-year-old special forces soldier named Matthew Levelsberger, had fireworks, gas tanks, and a suspected detonation mechanism in his rented vehicle. The FBI is treating the incidents in New Orleans and Las Vegas as separate events.
Of particular concern are the circumstances surrounding these incidents. The targeted hotel belongs to the incoming president, and the vehicle used belongs to his key ally, Elon Musk, sparking rumors of politically motivated motives.
All eyes are now on Washington as preparations are made for Trump's inauguration on January 20. Security measures for the official event, already high, will be further intensified given the two assassination attempts on the president in 2024 and the reported threat from Iran. The traditional post-inauguration walk along Pennsylvania Avenue poses a significant security challenge.
Left-wing groups are calling for widespread resistance on that Monday in various cities. Pro-Palestine organizations, anti-racist movements, feminists, and minorities are planning demonstrations. Calls for strikes and 'lone wolf sabotage' actions are circulating online. Thousands of police officers from different regions will reinforce the Washington police to maintain public order.
Security concerns extend beyond the inauguration. The event will be preceded by former President Jimmy Carter's state funeral, drawing crowds between 7th and 9th January in D.C. Trump is also hosting an event for his supporters in the Capitol One arena on January 19.
Potential political targets and vulnerabilities such as soft targets are causing unease among Americans, even in a country accustomed to violence. On the first day of 2025, 47 people were killed in the U.S. due to gun violence, with numerous others injured. A mass shooting in Queens, New York, where ten teenagers were shot at a nightclub, barely made national headlines.
Trump's vitriol towards Biden may also be fueled by recent events. Shortly before his social media outburst, it was revealed that he would award a high honor to Liz Cheney, a former Republican Congresswoman who openly criticized Trump. Cheney played a key role in investigating the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. While the White House praises her values, Trump considers her a traitor, signaling the polarizing shift in American politics.