WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden on July 14 addressed the nation from the Oval Office, highlighting a need to “lower the temperature on our politics” in the wake of the assassination attempt against his rival, former President Donald Trump.
“We are not enemies. We’re neighbors or friends, coworkers, citizens, and most importantly, we’re our fellow Americans,” he said. “We must stand together.”
This was his first Oval Office address since the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack in Israel last year.
Former President Donald Trump was hustled off the stage with a bloodied face after a bullet pierced his ear during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. Authorities are now investigating what they’ve called an assassination attempt.
The attack marked the first shooting of a U.S. president or presidential candidate since President Ronald Reagan survived an assassination attempt in 1981.
Here’s a timeline of what happened at the shooting that led to the death of one rally-goer, with two more sustaining serious injuries.
6:02 p.m. —Trump Takes the Stage
Former President Trump takes to the stage to the tune of “God Bless the USA,” waving to the crowd under the scorching sun.
FBI officials say they believe the would-be assassin of former President Donald Trump acted alone.
The agency is investigating the attack as both an attempted assassination and an act of domestic terrorism, officials told reporters in a call with news media on July 14.
The new details emerged less than 24 hours after the United States saw its first major assassination attempt of a president or presidential candidate since President Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981.
Secret Service officials confirmed on July 14 that no changes have been made to security at the Republican National Convention, which starts on July 15, after yesterday’s assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
“This is a National Special Security Event,” Audrey Gibson-Cicchino, RNC coordinator of the Secret Service, said at a press conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
“That designation is the highest level of security designation that the federal government can determine. So we are confident in these security plans that are in place for this event, and we’re ready to go. It’s been an 18-month process.”
President Joe Biden said he has asked that the investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump be “thorough and swift.”
“An assassination attempt is contrary to everything we stand for as a nation, everything,” the president said in remarks from the Roosevelt Room at the White House on July 14.
“It’s not who we are as a nation, it’s not America, and we cannot allow this to happen.”
The man who was slain at a rally held by former President Donald Trump was identified by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on Sunday as Corey Comperatore.
In a news conference, the governor said that Mr. Comperatore was shot as he “dove on his family to protect them last night at this rally,” Mr. Shapiro said during the press conference, citing what the victim’s wife told his office. The governor said that Mr. Comperatore “was the very best of us” and added that he hopes “his memory is a blessing.”
The FBI is investigating an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.
Former President Donald Trump is injured but safe after a bullet fired by a would-be assassin pierced his right ear about 10 minutes after the start of the rally.
The FBI named Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the subject involved in the assassination attempt. The agency said the investigation remains active and ongoing. Agency officials said they believe Mr. Crooks acted alone. No motive has been identified.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on July 14, confirmed the identity of the event’s sole slain victim.
Corey Comperatore, the governor said at a press conference, was a firefighter, church-goer, and father of two daughters who loved his community and his family. Mr. Comperatore, he added, was also an avid Trump supporter and was excited to be there last night with him.
Mr. Shapiro spoke to Comperatore’s wife who asked that he share “Corey died a hero,” diving on his family to protect them.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson told Fox News anchors that the Republican National Convention (RNC) “will probably be one of the most secure places not just in the city but in the country.”
The event starts on July 15 and runs through July 18. Former President Donald Trump is set to be nominated as Republican presidential candidate.
Along with the RNC already being designated a “National Special Security Event” which grants it extra security, Mr. Johnson said that he worked in a bipartisan manner with Congress to increase funding for the event to $75 million.
July 14 is the anniversary of the passing of Ivana Trump, ex-wife of former President Trump, and mother of Ivanka, Eric, and Donald Jr.
Ivanka shared a picture of her and her mother saying she was convinced that she was watching over him.
“Two years ago today, my mom passed away,” she said on X. “I believe she was watching over Dad last night during the attempt on his life.
Former First Lady Melania Trump on Sunday issued a statement on the assassination attempt targeting her husband, former President Donald Trump, and offered her sympathy to the other victims who were shot during the incident.
The former first lady, who has been largely out of the public eye during former President Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, called on Americans to “ascend above the hate” and “simple-minded ideas that incite violence.”
Former President Trump’s campaign co-chairs released a memo to all staff, announcing heightened security measures going forward.
Staff in the DC and West Palm Beach offices were advised to stay away on July 14 as they assess both locations.
They will now have 24/7 armed security officers on-site, and “additional security assessments will be in place.”
Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson (R–La.) appeared on NBC’s Today on July 14, announcing that he spoke with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas last night asking “pointed questions.”
He also repeated yesterday’s announcement that Congress will conduct a full investigation into the tragic event to “determine where there were lapses in security and anything else that the American people need to know.”
“We need to know: how could an individual be at that elevation that was seen by apparently bystanders on the ground—how could that not be noticed by Secret Service? Lots more questions than answers this morning.”
The U.S. Secret Service on Sunday refuted claims that former President Donald Trump’s security team requested additional security and was denied during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania where a shooter opened fire at the former president on Saturday evening.
“There’s an untrue assertion that a member of the former President’s team requested additional security resources & that those were rebuffed. This is absolutely false. In fact, we added protective resources & technology & capabilities as part of the increased campaign travel tempo,” Mr. Guglielmi wrote in a post on X.
Dan Scavino, one of former President Donald Trump’s senior advisors, said the former president’s use of a jumbotron may have helped save his life.
“Thank God last nights rally was one in which President Trump wanted to use and reference the jumbotron, causing him to slightly move his head at the moment shots were fired,” Dan Scavino, Jr. wrote on Xthe morning after the event. “He is grateful for all of the prayers, love, and support out there, as he prepares for the GOP Convention in Wisconsin!”
The morning after surviving the attempted assassination, former President Trump posted a message signed with his name to his social media platform, thanking supporters and saying he believes God spared his life.
“Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening,” he said around 7:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, in a post to Truth Social.
“We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has made a public statement about the assassination attempt, saying that he was “thankful” for former President Donald Trump’s safety.
“Our former President showed tremendous grace and courage under literal fire tonight. So thankful for his safety and so sad for the victims and their families,” the world’s second richest man said.
The head of Microsoft Satya Nadella expressed support for the former president following news of the attempted killing.
FBI suspect 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was shot and killed by the Secret Service seconds after he allegedly fired shots toward a stage where former President Donald Trump was speaking in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The upcoming Nov. 5 election would have been the first time that Crooks had been old enough to vote in a presidential race. State voter records show that Crooks registered as a Republican.
When Crooks was 17, he made a $15 donation to ActBlue, a political action committee that raises money for left-leaning and Democratic politicians, according to a 2021 Federal Election Commission filing. The donation was earmarked for the Progressive Turnout Project, a national group that rallies Democrats to vote. The groups did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
As Europeans wake to news of the attempted assassination of the former president, more European leaders have been giving their first official responses.
French President Emmanual Macron said the violence was a “tragedy for our democracies.”
“My thoughts are with President Donald Trump, the victim of an assassination attempt. I send him my wishes for a speedy recovery,” he said. “France shares the shock and indignation of the American people.”
An eyewitness, who was standing just outside the grounds during the rally, said that he saw the male shooter lying on a nearby roof, and shortly after, fire the rounds that hit the former president and attendees.
Butler local Greg Smith told The Epoch Times that he and his party saw the U.S. Secret Service nearby and tried to get their attention.
“I had a direct line of sight, directly to the backside of that roof. And I saw a guy crawling up the roof—bear-crawling up the roof—with a rifle,” Mr. Smith told The Epoch Times.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the subject involved in the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during his rally on July 13.
The identification was made the morning of July 14. During a press conference just hours prior, the agency had declined to identify the suspect and his motive, but said the former president was the target of an assassination attempt.
The FBI confirmed during a press conference that two adult men are in critical condition, while a third was fatally shot. The shooter was also killed.
Local FBI official Kevin Rojek denied reports that his agency had rejected any additional requests for security from the Trump campaign.
- U.S. Secret Service agents rush to protect Former President Donald Trump after shots were fired during a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., on July 13, 2024. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo)
Kevin Rojek, special agent-in-charge at the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office, described the shooting on July 13 as an assassination attempt and requested the public’s help in learning more about the incident.
Mr. Rojek directed the public to FBI.gov/butler and 1-800-CALL-FBI.
He said at a press conference that the agency is close to identifying the shooter and will share that information once it is “100 percent” confident. Mr. Rojek similarly said investigators are working “tirelessly” to identify a motive.
- A Secret Service member and the crowd is seen at Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Penn., on July 13, 2024. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Tom King, general counsel for the Pennsylvania Republican Party met with former President Donald Trump about 10 minutes before finding his seat in the second row to the side of the stage. He was sitting about 20 feet in front of the man who was fatally shot.
Mr. King told The Epoch Times that three other people near him were shot and treated by paramedics and a sheriff.
“Two of those people were taken, I believe, by helicopter, to trauma centers in Pittsburgh. I think one of the men died. They were both in critical condition,” Mr. King said, adding that they went to Allegheny General Hospital. “A boy was shot in the neck—it grazed his neck.”
- Police snipers return fire after former President Donald Trump was shot at the campaign event. (Gene J. Puskar/AP Photo)
Leaders across the political spectrum around the world condemned the assassination attempt against former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador was one of the first world leaders to express his condemnation of the attack against the former U.S. president.
“In any case, we condemn what happened to former President Donald Trump. Violence is irrational and inhuman,” he posted on X.
The House Oversight Committee has formally invited Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to a hearing on July 22.
“Americans demand answers about the assassination attempt of President Trump,” the committee posted on X.
“The tremendous bravery of the individual United States Secret Service agents who protected President Trump, eliminated the gunman, and possibly averted more loss of life cannot be overstated,” a formal letter addressed to Ms. Cheatle states.
- A campaign rally site for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is empty and littered with debris Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Former Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama each released statements condemning the attack on former President Trump.
“Violence has no place in America, especially in our political process,” former President Bill Clinton said in a post to X. “Hillary and I are thankful that President Trump is safe, heartbroken for all those affected by the attack at today’s rally in Pennsylvania, and grateful for the swift action of the U.S. Secret Service.”
His successor, former President Bush, said: “Laura and I are grateful that President Trump is safe following the cowardly attack on his life. And we commend the men and women of the Secret Service for their speedy response.”
Former President Donald Trump’s 42-year-old daughter Ivanka Trump thanked the American public for the outpouring of “love and prayers” for her father and the other victims of the “senseless violence” at the campaign rally.
“I continue to pray for our country,” she wrote on X, thanking the Secret Service and “all the other law enforcement officers” for their “quick and decisive actions.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) posted at 10:37 p.m. ET on X that the House will conduct a full investigation of the “the tragic events today.”
“The American people deserve to know the truth. We will have Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and other appropriate officials from DHS and the FBI appear for a hearing before our committees ASAP,” Mr. Johnson wrote.
Mr. Johnson also posted a photo of the former president with the hashtag “#Unstoppable.”
Trump supporter Erin Autenreith, 66, of Pittsburgh, was seated in the front row, directly in front of former President Trump when the shots rang out.
- President Joe Biden speaks after his Republican opponent Donald Trump was injured following a shooting at an election rally in Pennsylvania, at the Rehoboth Beach Police Department Delaware on July 13, 2024. (SAMUEL CORUM/AFP)
The White House confirmed that President Joe Biden spoke with former President Donald Trump on Saturday evening. The conversation took place after the former president was shot and injured during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“This evening, President Biden spoke to former President Trump,” a White House official said.
“The President also spoke to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Butler Mayor Bob Dandoy.”
Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), a White House physician during the Trump administration, said a bullet grazed his nephew’s neck at the Trump rally.
His nephew was in an area designated for friends and family to the right of former President Donald Trump, Mr. Jackson said on Fox’s Hannity show Saturday night.
Mr. Jackson said that someone four or five rows behind his nephew was “critically injured.” He said when his nephew went to the triage tent with Mr. Jackson’s sister-in-law for first aid, they observed a person on a gurney with a critical head wound.
The Justice Department released multiple statements announcing its intent to investigate the shooting at former President Trump’s rally.
On X, the FBI said it is assuming the “role of lead federal law enforcement agency in the investigation of the incident involving former President Donald Trump that occurred earlier today in Butler, Pennsylvania.”
The agency added: “Special agents of the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office responded immediately, to include crisis response team members and evidence response technicians.”
- Secret Service agents surround Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump onstage after he was injured at a rally in Butler, Pa., on July 13, 2024. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
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The Trump Campaign and the Republican National Convention confirmed in a statement that former President Donald Trump is “doing well” and will appear in person at the Republican National Convention, which kicks off in Milwaukee on Monday, July 15.
The former president is set to be nominated as the Republican presidential candidate at the convention.
“President Trump looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we proceed with our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th President of the United States,” the statement reads. “President Trump will continue to share his vision to Make America Great Again.”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the U.S. Secret Service, is poised to face oversight from members of Congress following the shooting on July 13.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) called on the Senate Homeland Security Committee to “investigate this assassination attempt and attempted mass murder and get to the bottom of how it could have happened.”
His comments were made amid questions from top Trump campaign surrogates about the security provided by the U.S. Secret Service.
- Audience members duck in the crowd during a shooting at a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pa., on July 13, 2024. The Butler County District Attorney said the suspected gunman is dead after injuring former President Trump, killing one audience member, and seriously injuring two others. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas condemned the Saturday shooting in Pennsylvania “in the strongest possible terms” and praised the Secret Service’s “swift action.”
“We are engaged with President Biden, former President Trump, and their campaigns, and are taking every possible measure to ensure their safety and security,” Mr. Mayorkas wrote on X.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he is “shocked and saddened” by the shooting that injured former President Trump, and is “grateful that he is safe.”
“As @POTUS said, there is no place for political violence in America and we must all condemn it,” Mr. Blinken posted on X.
House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) said on X that he’s calling on Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to appear at a hearing after the shooting that took place at former President Trump’s rally.
“I have already contacted the Secret Service for a briefing and am also calling on Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to appear for a hearing,” Mr. Comer said. “The Oversight Committee will send a formal invitation soon.”
The U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on X that he is “appalled by the shocking scenes at President Trump’s rally” and relayed his best wishes to the former president’s family.
“Political violence in any form has no place in our societies and my thoughts are with all the victims of this attack,” he said.
Anthony Albanese, Australia’s prime minister, described the incident as “concerning and confronting.”
The FBI released a brief statement that it is on the scene in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“FBI personnel are on the scene in Butler, Pennsylvania, and the FBI will continue to work jointly with the U.S. Secret Service as the investigation moves forward,” the agency said in a statement posted to X at 8:45 p.m. ET.
Leading politicians on both sides of the aisle quickly responded to the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at his July 13 rally in Pennsylvania, which injured the former president and left one rally attendee dead and two others seriously injured.
“There’s no place in America for this kind of violence. It’s sick, it’s sick,” President Joe Biden said on July 13 from the emergency briefing room in Rehoboth, Delaware.
“It’s one of the reasons we have to unite this country. We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this.”
The White House confirmed that President Joe Biden spoke with former President Donald Trump on Saturday evening. The conversation took place after the former president was shot and injured during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Before the phone call, President Biden also delivered remarks condemning the violence and urging Americans to unite against it.
“There’s no place in America for this kind of violence. It’s sick, it’s sick,” President Biden said from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
Two spectators were critically injured and one killed during the attack on former President Donald Trump, the Secret Service confirmed in a statement.
The Secret Service also confirmed that it had killed the suspected assailant, who fired the shots “from an elevated position outside of the rally venue.”
Former President Trump, on his platform Truth Social, confirmed that a bullet pierced his ear.
“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin,” he said. “Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
He thanked the Secret Service, and “all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response to the shooting” and expressed condolences to the family of the person who was fatally shot and another one who was seriously injured.
President Joe Biden delivered remarks on Saturday evening after former President Donald Trump was shot and injured during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.
“There’s no place in America for this kind of violence. It’s sick, it’s sick,” President Biden said at the emergency briefing room in Rehoboth, Delaware.
“It’s one of the reasons we have to unite this country,” President Biden said. “We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this.”
Former President Donald Trump was minutes into his speech in front of a crowd of tens of thousands of people in Butler, Pennsylvania, when what sounded like several gunshots interrupted the event. The former president grabbed his right ear and dropped behind his podium before Secret Service agents quickly gathered around him.
BUTLER, Pa.—Former President Trump is safe with a minor injury after an attack during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. The person who allegedly shot him is dead, according to the Butler County district attorney.
Law enforcement officials said that Trump appeared to be the target of an assassination, the Associated Press reported.
A rallygoer was also killed in the attack, according to the district attorney’s office. The Epoch Times has contacted the district attorney’s office for more information. Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger told CNN that another rallygoer is in serious condition.
Former President Trump was minutes into his speech in front of a crowd of thousands when gunshots interrupted the event. The former president winced, grabbed his right ear, and ducked down as Secret Service agents swarmed in to shield him on the floor near the podium.
Several more shots rang out while the president was down. Moments later, back on his feet, surrounded by Secret Service agents, and blood running down his face, the president pumped his fist three times toward the crowd.
Former President Trump then walked down from the stage surrounded by agents.
“The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former President is safe. This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available,” the Secret Service said in a statement.
The Secret Service killed the assailant, who had targeted the former president from outside the security perimeter. Several rally attendees told The Epoch Times and NTD that the shooter was atop a nearby barn. An eyewitness who spoke to BBC also said the shooter was atop a building.
The apparent assassination attempt is the first such attack on a president or presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan in 1981. The attack occurred just two days before the GOP convention, where the former president is expected to be formally nominated as the Republican Party presidential nominee in the 2024 election.
“The entire crowd just went down. Everybody was covering themselves, just trying to stay safe,” one observer told NTD immediately after the incident.
Shortly after 6:30 p.m. ET, a medical helicopter landed near the site of the rally. The Trump campaign said the former president “is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility.”
- Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump pumps his fist as he is rushed offstage during a rally in Butler, Pa., on July 13, 2024. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The White House said that President Joe Biden “has received an initial briefing on the incident,” including with Homeland Security officials.
“I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information,” he said.
President Biden also expressed his gratitude to the Secret Service.
“There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it,” he added.
Vice President Kamala Harris similarly said that she’s relieved to hear he’s “not seriously injured.”
“We are praying for him, his family, and all those who have been injured and impacted by this senseless shooting,” she said in a statement.
“Violence such as this has no place in our nation. We must all condemn this abhorrent act and do our part to ensure that it does not lead to more violence.”
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro condemned the violence and said he has been briefed on the situation. He said state police “are on the scene in Butler County and working with our federal and local partners.”
Mike Boatman, a part of the group known as the Front Row Joes, has attended 94 rallies for the former president. He said he was in the center of the front row and to his left heard the pop-pop-pop of shots.
He was stunned to see former President Trump clutch his right ear and disappear behind the lectern where he’d been speaking.
He heard another volley of shots.
“I would have rather they shot me than him,” Mr. Boatman, of Evansville, Indiana, told The Epoch Times. “He’s the only guy who can save this country.”
“Unbelievable. They’ve tried everything to keep him from being the president again. They tried everything. … Now they’re trying to assassinate him.
Reactions Pour In
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who is mounting an independent bid for the White House, wrote on X, “Now is the time for every American who loves our country to step back from the division, renounce all violence, and unite in prayer for President Trump and his family.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom was one of the first Democrats to react to the incident.
“Violence has NO place in our democracy. My thoughts are with President Trump and everyone impacted at the rally today,” he wrote in a post on X.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), a possible vice presidential pick, wrote on X, “God protected President Trump”
- Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump arrives for a campaign rally, , in Butler, Pa., on July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) wrote on X: “I am horrified by what happened at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania and relieved that former President Trump is safe. Political violence has no place in our country.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) also responded with a post on X: “Political violence is absolutely unacceptable.I wish Donald Trump, and anyone else who may have been hurt, a speedy recovery.”
“My thoughts and prayers are with former President Trump. I am thankful for the decisive law enforcement response. America is a democracy. Political violence of any kind is never acceptable,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote a message on X, “As one whose family has been the victim of political violence, I know firsthand that political violence of any kind has no place in our society. I thank God that former President Trump is safe.”
“As we learn more details about this horrifying incident, let us pray that all those in attendance at the former President’s rally today are unharmed.”
Former President Barack Obama also weighed in and wished former President Trump “a quick recovery.”
“Grateful for the swift response by law enforcement and Secret Service. Wishing President Trump a swift recovery.”
Former Vice President Mike Pence shared his reaction on X: “Karen and I are praying for President Trump and urge every American to join us.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Original News Source Link – Epoch Times
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