evidence: An attempt to assassinate Donald Trump is a terrifying moment for the former president — and America [...] Shots were fired. Trump clutched his ear and ducked to the ground. The Secret Service scrambled, while people in the crowd screamed. It was a terrifying moment for the former president, everyone watching on, and for the country as a whole. The United States has a tragic history of political assassinations, and this sort of moment is one that candidates and their families must fear the most. But just four months out from a divisive election, in an America already so polarised, the attempt on Trump's life – and the way it's now handled — could have much broader consequences.