Sunday, following a reported second assassination attempt on Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) placed the blame on the left for an increase in vitriolic rhetoric.

According to the Tennessee Republican, Democrats were inciting those who he described as “on the edge,” and they knew “exactly what they were doing.”

“[C]learly, we have got to be careful because the power of suggestion is what we’re seeing right now,” he said. “The left has just ramped up their vitriol. You’ve seen the tweets that y’all are saying something about ‘they need to learn how to aim better’ and things like that. Those are the types of things that incite somebody who is on the edge. They know exactly what they’re doing. This establishment, the swamp, whatever you want to call it, it’s an open sewer. They have thrown down the gantlet. They know if Donald J. Trump is elected, their days are over. We’ll get this country back in order, and they will throw anything and everything at it.”

“The problem is you’ve got a Secret Service, at least in my opinion, and in the public’s eye, that is compromised and that it lacks in leadership,” Burchett added. “And you’ve got brave agents on the ground, obviously, one who took that shot. But why in the world would anybody be anywhere near the perimeter of this? This line of sight that we talk about is just beyond me. So we’ve got to get some answers. I don’t think we’re going to get them during this administration, but hopefully, under the Trump administration we will clean this rat’s nest out. I mean, we’ve got to go through these departments like Grant through Richmond, brother. We cannot put up with this anymore.”

Follow Jeff Poor on X @jeff_poor