Washington — President Biden will speak at the White House Sunday afternoon, a day after an assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.
The president spoke briefly Saturday night in Delaware after Trump, with blood visible on his face, was whisked off stage at a Pennsylvania rally when a gunman’s bullet grazed his ear. The president, who has been updated regularly by top administration officials, received another briefing in the White House Situation Room on Sunday.
“Last night, I spoke with Donald Trump,” the president said. “I’m sincerely grateful that he’s doing well and recovering. We had a short but good conversation. Jill and I are keeping him and his family in our prayers. We also extend our deepest condolences to the family of the victim that was killed.”
While details were still emerging Saturday night, Mr. Biden said that “there’s no place in America for this kind of violence,” calling it “sick.”
“That’s one of the reasons why we have to unite this country,” the president said. “You cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this.”
At the time, Mr. Biden made clear that although he had been briefed, the situation was still unfolding, and he wanted “to make sure we have all the facts” before commenting further. Later, the FBI identified the suspect as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.
The president and former president spoke by phone on Saturday, a Trump adviser and White House official confirmed. A White House official characterized the call as “good, short, and respectful,” pointing to a description from the Trump campaign.
Mr. Biden cut his weekend in Delaware short to travel back to the White House late Saturday in the wake of the assassination attempt.