Political violence has long haunted American democracy, but the recent series of assassination attempts targeting President Donald Trump has raised a troubling question: Are we witnessing a continuation of a historical pattern, or the emergence of something fundamentally new in US political life?

In this episode of Inside America, Selina Downes speaks with former Secret Service agent Michael Matranga, discussing the latest assassination attempt on Donald Trump and the security fallouts.  Later, she is joined by political historian Matthew Dallek of George Washington University and national security analyst Eric Ham to examine the deeper historical roots of political violence in America — and whether the nation can still chart a path back toward stability.