President Joe Biden delivered remarks Saturday night after former President Donald Trump was injured and rushed off the stage when shots rang out at his political rally.
“There is no place for this kind of violence in America,” Biden said in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
“It's sick,” Biden said. “It's sick.”
“That's one of the reasons we have to unite this country,” the president said. “We can't allow this to happen. We can't be like this. We can't tolerate this.”
Biden said he hoped to talk to Trump shortly, adding: “He appears to be doing well.”
Political violence is “simply outrageous, it is simply inappropriate, and everyone, everyone must condemn it,” he said.
When asked if he believed the shooting was an assassination attempt on Trump, Biden said he had “an opinion” but wanted to collect more facts before making further comments.
Trump's campaign said shortly after the incident that he was “doing well and being evaluated at a local medical facility.” Trump was seen with blood on his face and ears when he was evacuated by the Secret Service.
The US Secret Service stated that “the former president is safe” and that an investigation into the alleged shooting is ongoing.
In a written statement early Saturday evening, Biden, who’s running against Trump within the re-election campaign, said he was glad to listen to that Trump was “safe and well.”
“I am praying for him and his family and everyone who attended the rally as we await more information,” Biden said within the statement.
“There is no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as a nation and condemn it,” the president said.
The statement and Biden's remarks followed a wave of support for Trump from his political allies and opponents, who strongly condemned political violence in any form.
Both of Trump's predecessors, Barack Obama and George W. Bush, had already expressed their relief that Trump didn’t look like seriously injured.
“There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy,” Obama said in a press release on X. “While we do not yet know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump was not seriously injured and use this moment to recommit ourselves to decency and respect in our politics.”
Bush said he and former first lady Laura Bush were grateful that President Trump was secure after the cowardly attempt on his life.
Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was shot in the pinnacle in a 2011 assassination attempt and has since campaigned for gun control, wrote: “Political violence is terrifying. I know.”
“I hold former President Trump and all those affected by today's inexcusable act of violence in my heart. Political violence is un-American and never acceptable – ever,” Giffords wrote.
Vice President Kamala Harris said in a press release that she and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff are “relieved that [Trump] is not seriously injured.”
“Violence like this has no place in our country. We must all condemn this heinous act and do our part to ensure it does not lead to further violence,” Harris said.
Not every response was bipartisan.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, a vocal critic of Biden who reportedly recently donated to a pro-Trump super PACwrote on X inside an hour of the shooting: “I fully support President Trump and hope for his speedy recovery.”
This is breaking news, please check back later for updates.
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