SOME Trump supporters claim God deflected the assassin’s bullet to save their chosen one. This puts a lot on God’s shoulders and reminds us how politics and religion align in the US.

The idea that the Almighty had his all-seeing eye out for Trump seems bizarre. Why would God wish to save such a godless man? I feel I can ask this as a fellow godless man – not in the vilely misbehaving ways of Trump, just as a man without religion.

Anyway, if God put a swerve on that bullet, letting Trump escape with a wound to his right ear, did he therefore sacrifice the rally-goer who was killed? Seems unlikely.

I have it on no authority whatsoever that what God actually said was: “Isn’t there anybody in America other than Trump and Biden who can stand for president? If you like old guys, I’ll throw in Methuselah. He’s 969 – just that bit older than Joe Biden.”

Viewed from these shores, it is tempting to see politics in the US as an aggressive game show that demeans democracy.

Trump exemplifies this with his bellowing insistence that the last US election was stolen from him. He introduced this false idea long before he lost, sowing a bitter seed that grew into the violent attack on the US Capitol building on January 6, 2021.

Having swallowed Trump whole – or having all been swallowed by him – many Republicans now spout his great lie about being cheated at the last election.

Conspiracy theories about the assassination attempt popped up online immediately. Conspiracists sceptical about Trump suggested the shooting had been staged somehow to boost his campaign; conspiracists cleaving to Trump maintained it had been staged by Biden.

Such fevered theories carried no credence but that didn’t stop them being shared widely.

Trumpian Republicans are still trying to blame Biden and the Democrats for the shooting, saying it happened because they’ve been ‘demonising’ Trump for years. The ‘mainstream media’ is blamed too – even though Trump is a creation of the media, having risen on the back of endless publicity, only to turn against the very people who elevated him.

Whenever you hear complaints about the ‘mainstream media’, it’s worth remembering that Trump started that refrain years ago (this doesn’t excuse all media behaviour, but it should sound a klaxon when you hear such complaints).

As for the ‘demonisation’ of Trump, this has mostly consisted of reporting the lies and ridiculous things he has said.

Nigel Farage, the new but already part-time MP for Clacton, uses similar tactics: blaming the media, especially the BBC, when he has endlessly exploited the BBC, and been endlessly promoted by the corporation (see many past moans on this ledge).

Along with the conspiracy theories and the lies, Trump supporters also blame a sinister but non-specific enemy, usually known only as “they” – as in “they” don’t want Trump to win, muttered until the last marble has rolled away.

While not wishing to join sides over the shooting conspiracy theories, there was something striking about Trump’s reaction to being shot. Or there was in the photograph by Associated Press photojournalist Evan Vucci. This shows the former President with his fist raised, blood streaked on his face, amid a huddles scrum of security people.

A perfectly composed image, worthy of a Caravaggio painting; a brilliant photograph indeed, but one that will be forever used to glorify Trump.

As the photograph was taken, Trump shouted: “Fight! Fight! Fight!” Fight who, exactly? Who knows, but the crowds as the Republican National Convention were soon shouting that line, fists raised in a cosplay fascist sort of a way.

Some were also wearing over-sized ear-muff bandages on their right lughole like their wounded hero. Where Nelson put a telescope to his blind eye and declared that he saw no ships, Trump’s supporters cover up their ear and say they will hear no word against him.

Not sure where this will all end. Nowhere good if the Putin-praising pursuer of intolerant politics wins the US election.