‘Failure of security’: Trump shooting sparks ‘solemn’ talks on House GOP safety


House Republicans huddled for a somber safety discussion less than 12 hours after the attempted assassination of former President Trump.

House GOP lawmakers spoke with their sergeant at arms via conference call on Sunday afternoon where questions about security at the Republican National Convention dominated discussion.

“I think most are angered by the failure of security yesterday,” one House Republican on the call told Fox News Digital.

That lawmaker said they felt safe “overall” but noted they now had local police stationed by their driveway.

TRUMP SHOOTING: ‘GOD’S HAND OF PROTECTION WAS ON HIM,’ SAYS REV FRANKLIN GRAHAM, OTHERS

Donald Trump gestures with a bloodied face as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally

Republican presidential candidate and former President Trump is escorted away by security personnel after gunfire rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)

Another House GOP lawmaker said they sensed “low confidence” among members on the call. When asked if they felt that way in relation to the RNC or lawmakers’ safety overall, they replied, “All of it.”

That second member said they felt “a lot less safe” in the wake of Trump’s shooting.

“Tone was pretty muted and solemn but unified, obviously,” a third House GOP lawmaker said of the meeting.

They said they were “comfortable” with their campaign’s security but pointed out that there was always a risk to members who aren’t in leadership.

“The rank and files are generally vulnerable every day we aren’t in the Capitol, unless we have special events with deputies there etc.,” that Republican said. “You kind of have to assume a level of risk, unfortunately. And pray there aren’t crazies there that day.”

There is renewed scrutiny on the safety of elected officials in the U.S. in the hours after a gunman opened fire at Trump’s Butler, Pennsylvania, rally on Saturday afternoon.

EMOTIONAL GRAHAM DELIVERS MESSAGE OF ‘LOVE’ FOR TRUMP, SAYS US NEEDS ‘SOUL-SEARCHING’

Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by secret service

Trump was shot by a gunman on a nearby rooftop outside the rally perimeter. (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)

“Are elected officials safe[?] All you have to [do] is witness the violent [protests] over the last few years where cities have been destroyed, innocent lives have been lost, and anarchy has destroyed our rule of law,” Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., told Fox News Digital via text message.

House Republicans who spoke with Axios said they were taking added “precautions” at events in the near future and “discussing with our security advisors on how to proceed.”

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have since called on each other to ease up on divisive rhetoric and called for unity in the wake of the deadly shooting, which killed one rally attendee and saw two others critically injured. The shooter was killed by the Secret Service.

Trump was injured but escorted to safety by Secret Service agents, but not before pumping his fist on the stage and saying “fight” twice.

LIVE UPDATES: FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP SURVIVES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, FBI IDs SHOOTER AS THOMAS MATTHEW CROOKS 

Milwaukee RNC security fence

Downtown Milwaukee is under tight security ahead of the Republican National Convention that begins on Monday. (Fox News)

“We’ve got to turn the temperature down in this country. We need leaders of all parties on both sides to call that out and make sure that happens so that we can go forward and maintain our free society that we all are blessed to have,” Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said on NBC’s “Today” show on Sunday morning.

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Meanwhile, Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, released a statement condemning the current political environment, which he said is leading to “a dark and almost hopeless future of diminishing freedom, increasing violence, and growing instability led by unserious people who care more about their own personal well-being than the nation’s.”

“In the pursuit of short-term political gain, they are eager to exaggerate our differences and cast their political opponents as diabolical caricatures bent on destroying the country,” he said.



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Swing district Dem calls out parties’ ‘dangerous lies’: ‘Democracy or authoritarianism’


Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, penned a lengthy thread on X about the hyperbole in American politics, urging politicians to stop framing their opponents as “fascists.”

The vulnerable Democrat congressman took to X to denounce the current path that he says the country is on, adding that leaders need to guide America down a different one.

“We can start by dropping hyperbolic threats about the stakes of this election,” he wrote. “It should not be misleadingly portrayed as a struggle between democracy or authoritarianism or a battle against fascists or socialists bent on destroying America. These are dangerous lies.”

SENATE HOMELAND SECURITY COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AND SECURITY FAILURE

Former President Trump was the target of an assassination attempt at his Butler, Pennsylvania, rally on Saturday. Shots were fired around 6 p.m., just minutes after Trump took the stage. Blood could be seen on Trump’s right ear and face as Secret Service agents escorted him from the stage.

Trump was treated for a wound on his ear at a local hospital before returning to his residence in New Jersey. Both the gunman and a rallygoer were killed. Others are injured and receiving care in the hospital.

RNC’S SECRET SERVICE CLASH THRUST BACK INTO SPOTLIGHT AFTER DEADLY TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING

Democrat Maine Congressman Jared Golden

Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Lawmakers quickly issued statements praying for Trump’s safety and that of attendees. 

“Following the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, we must ask ourselves questions about the future of our country and what we want for ourselves and our children,” Golden wrote on X in a 10-part thread. 

GOP PRAYS FOR TRUMP AFTER SHOTS FIRED, FORMER PRESIDENT RUSHED OFF STAGE

Trump with bloody ear pumps first at Pennsylvania rally

Former President Trump pumps his fist as he is rushed off the stage after a failed assassination attempt during his campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“In the pursuit of short-term political gain, they are eager to exaggerate our differences and cast their political opponents as diabolical caricatures bent on destroying the country,” he said in reference to those leading the country. 

Per the lawmaker, “The result is an overwhelming sense of fear & anxiety about the future of our country, where the normal and tested tools of democracy no longer seem adequate to protect the common good. In this light, a rise of politically motivated violence in America is sadly unsurprising.”

TRUMP JR SAYS FATHER ‘IN GREAT SPIRITS’ AT HOSPITAL AFTER SHOTS FIRED DURING PA RALLY

Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by secret service

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face and surrounded by Secret Service agents after a failed assassination attempt at his campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)

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According to the Maine Democrat, it would be “disastrous” to continue this way. Instead, the hyperbole must be stopped, he said, condemning the framing of political opponents as fascists, authoritarians and socialists.

The Democrat is fighting for re-election in a very competitive Maine district in the November election. Nonpartisan political handicapper Cook Political Report rated his seat as a “Democrat Toss Up.”





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Eye witness to Trump rally shooting says she is not surprised by assassination attempt


A Pennsylvania woman attended the rally held by former President Trump on Saturday with her husband and, initially, was uncertain if the pops she heard were directly related to a gun, as she assumed, because of the fun-loving atmosphere, that someone set off fireworks.

“It was truly a lovely day and as we were sitting there, it really sounded like firecrackers,” Chris Konopka, 56, of McMurray, Pennsylvania, told Fox News Digital over the phone. “There was no panic on my part because I immediately thought, ‘OK, who’s the idiot that did this because he’s ruining it for everybody?’”

Konopka described the day as an incredibly hot one, but lively and full of “happy, pleasant and helpful” rally goers.

“Nobody was drinking, chanting, screaming; none of it,” she said.

TRUMP RALLY VICTIM IDENTIFIED AS COREY COMPERATORE, ‘HERO’ SHIELDED WIFE AND GIRLS FROM BULLETS

Donald Trump greets the crowd during a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc

Former President Trump greets the crowd at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. Moments later, shots rang out, killing one man and injuring Trump and two others.  (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)

Konopka, a first-time rally attendee, and her husband, small business owners near Bethel Park where the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was from, were seated about 20 feet behind Trump and the stage.

She said it wasn’t until the couple got home that they understood the gravity of the situation as iPhone service at Butler Farm Show Grounds was limited and only text messages from her mom were coming through.

Trump was struck by a bullet on his ear.

“I did not see the blood on his face,” Konopka said. “The bleachers to the right of us where the gentleman actually did get killed, I assumed, ‘Oh, that’s where the noise came from, they got the guy that was doing the fireworks,’ not knowing that guy had gotten shot.”

She added that there was no stampede of attendees and bystanders remained calm as they filed out to their cars in an orderly fashion.

“We were all just walking and being ushered out, everybody waited their turn to be ushered out,” she said. “That atmosphere, too, made me think ‘OK, I’m gonna sit back and not react right away.’ It all happened so quickly.”

Among those in the crowd nearby was a young girl, who Konopka believed to be 10 years old, crying.

“It was so said,” she said.

DRAMATIC IMAGES: FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP SURVIVES APPARENT ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

Konopka said that, though she’d never been to a rally before, she was particularly alert as to the lack of protection as she walked into the outdoor venue. She described the security scene, including one metal detector, as “lax.”

“I remember my husband saying, ‘You know, I don’t know about this,’” she said. “In my humble opinion, they made that very, very easy for that 20-year-old.”

Though she said she’s unsure if some security personnel were undercover, she believes Trump is at too high of a risk to have such little protection.

“It was kind of surreal but then again, I’m going to be honest, I was not surprised and I kind of thought it was coming,” Konopka said of an assassination attempt on Trump. “I just didn’t know I was going to have a front seat. We shouldn’t be surprised.”

Konopka is most curious as to where the bullet that struck Trump is presently located.

GOFUNDME ‘AUTHORIZED’ BY TRUMP FOR BUTLER, PA, VICTIMS EXCEEDS $2M; VIVEK RAMASWAMY DONATES $30K

“It probably should have hit somebody two rows above me because a bullet doesn’t stop and there was nothing behind that podium to stop it besides more people,” she said. “Where is it?”

She doesn’t believe that Crooks had enough access to weaponry and intelligence to act alone and Konopka says Americans aren’t asking enough questions.

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Konopka said she extends her condolences to the family of the man who lost his life, and though disheartened by the loss, she said she was especially taken aback by the heroism of one WWII veteran in attendance.

“Everyone was ducking,” she said. “He stood straight up and went straight to that podium without even thinking about it.”

She added that it was a “pretty incredible” sight and gave her new hope for the future.



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Sanders condemns ‘radical rhetoric’ after Trump assassination attempt: ‘Politics should be kind of boring’


Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., condemned both political violence and “radical rhetoric” after the assassination attempt on former President Trump. 

During an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Sanders said political violence was “un-American.” 

“I think everybody in this country, no matter what their political views, wishes former President Trump a rapid and speedy recovery, mourns the loss of innocent lives and those who are wounded, and understands that political violence of any kind or shape or form is unacceptable. It is un-American,” Sanders said. “And we’ve got to put an end to it. I think in this traumatic moment, it’s time for all of us to take a deep breath, remember what this is about and what political campaigns are about. And they’re about serious discussions of serious ideas as to how we address the serious problems facing this country. So let’s use this moment if there’s any silver lining in this tragedy. It’s to figure out how do we go forward peacefully, constructively and intelligently?” 

WOULD-BE TRUMP ASSASSIN HAD EXPLOSIVES IN CAR PARKED NEAR RALLY, BOMB MAKING MATERIALS AT HOME: SOURCES

Sanders at recent NY event

Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks at a rally endorsing Jamaal Bowman at St. Mary’s Park in the Bronx on June 22, 2024, in New York City. (Steven Ferdman/GC Images)

Sanders went on to condemn “radical rhetoric,” without specifying what that constituted. In the wake of the shooting at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a bullet grazed Trump’s ear before Secret Service rushed him offstage, Republicans have criticized Democrats for their past rhetoric, deeming Trump an existential threat to democracy. A rally goer was killed, and two other men were critically wounded, authorities said.

The Secret Service fatally shot the would-be Trump assassin, who reportedly fired from a rooftop some 130 yards away from the rally. 

Donald Trump gestures with a bloodied face as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally

Former President Trump is assisted by Secret Service agents after gunfire rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. (Reuters/Brendan McDermid)

RNC CHAIR MICHAEL WHATLEY SAYS ‘POLITICS IS SECONDARY’ AFTER TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

“The bottom line is what we need as a nation, what a democracy is about is not radical rhetoric,” Sanders told host Kristen Welker. “What it is about is a serious discussion of where we are as a nation and how we go forward, forward. You know, and in a certain way, Kristen, politics should be kind of boring. You know, our health care system is dysfunctional. How do we fix it? Well, it’s kind of a boring discussion, but we need a health care system that guarantees health care to all people. We have massive income and wealth inequality. Well, maybe a boring discussion. Should three people own more wealth than the bottom half of American society? So I think what we have got to see is serious discussion of serious issues, and not this kind of harsh rhetoric that we have heard for the last number of years.” 

Donald Trump gestures with a bloodied face as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally

Former President Trump seen after the assassination attempt at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. (Reuters/Brendan McDermid)

Sanders also reiterated support for Biden as the Democratic nominee despite back-to-back gaffes last week and his disastrous debate performance against Trump. 

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“President Biden is the strongest candidate the Democrats have,” Sanders said. “I think he has a very, very effective record that he can run on. We are finally lowering the cost of prescription drugs. We are rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure. Finally, we’re beginning to deal with the existential threat of climate change. We’re trying to do our best to protect a woman’s rights to control her own body. A strong record.”



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Senate Homeland Security committee to investigate Trump assassination attempt and security failure


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The Senate is opening an investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Trump and the security failures that led to it. 

Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs (HSGAC) Chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich., will lead the investigation after shots were fired on Saturday night at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, leaving Trump bloodied with a wound on his right ear and a spectator dead. 

The committee has requested a member briefing as soon as possible, a Peters aide told Fox News Digital.

RNC’S SECRET SERVICE CLASH THRUST BACK INTO SPOTLIGHT AFTER DEADLY TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING

Gary Peters, Donald Trump

Peters will lead an investigation by the Homeland Security Committee into the shooting at Trump’s rally. (Getty Images)

The chairman will be speaking on Sunday with Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Fox News Digital was told. 

Also on Sunday afternoon, committee staff will get their own briefing from DHS.

According to the Peters aide, the investigation is expected to include a number of steps, including hearings. 

GOP PRAYS FOR TRUMP AFTER SHOTS FIRED, FORMER PRESIDENT RUSHED OFF STAGE

Donald Trump is moved from the stage at a campaign rally

Former President Trump is moved from the stage at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

News of the investigation comes after several lawmakers have called for the incident to be probed, including senators in both parties. 

On Saturday night, HSGAC member Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., called for an immediate hearing, to take place before August, to demand answers from both DHS and the Secret Service on how the attempted assassination was able to occur and what steps are being taken to investigate it. 

TRUMP JR. SAYS FATHER ‘IN GREAT SPIRITS’ AT HOSPITAL AFTER SHOTS FIRED DURING PA RALLY

The crowd reacts after shots were fired at republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump's rally

The crowd reacts after shots were fired at former President Trump’s rally on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“The assassination attempt on President Trump and murder of an innocent American demands immediate answers from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Secret Service. It is a miracle that President Trump is alive and well but absolutely inexcusable that the deranged would-be assassin had a direct line of sight to the former president and the leading candidate for President of the United States,” Scott said in a statement. 

He added that the HSGAC “has an oversight responsibility and an obligation to the American people to demand answers from DHS and the U.S. Secret Service on how this happened and what steps are being taken to investigate this assassination attempt and make sure it never happens again.” 

BIDEN BRIEFED ON TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING: ‘I’M PRAYING FOR HIM’

Rand Paul and Gary Peters

Sens. Gary Peters and Rand Paul talk before a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing in Washington on Feb. 28, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“Chairman Gary Peters must immediately hold a HSGAC hearing, before August 1st, with testimony from these agencies and deliver the answers that we as U.S. Senators and the American people demand and deserve from our government. The security of our Republic is being questioned and we as a nation need answers,” he added. 

Vulnerable Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester penned a letter to Peters on Sunday, requesting that a hearing be held to investigate the shooting at Trump’s Pennsylvania rally. 

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“As our nation grieves and looks to unite in the face of this violence, your committee can play an important role in getting answers to how this tragedy happened,” Tester wrote in the letter to both Peters and ranking member Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.

“I appreciate the brave men and women in law enforcement, including the U.S. Secret Service, that put their own lives at risk to protect former President Trump and attendees. They do important work every day, almost exclusively out of the eye of the public,” the senator wrote. “I trust that your committee will work with them to provide oversight, accountability and piece together information so we can better understand how this event took place and what steps need to be taken to ensure something similar does not happen again.”



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Biden vows Secret Service will provide Trump with ‘every resource’ to ensure ‘continued safety’


President Biden said Sunday that “an assassination attempt is contrary to everything we stand for as a nation,” after former President Trump narrowly survived an attempt at his life at his rally, vowing to ensure the U.S. Secret Service provides him with “every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure his continued safety.” 

Biden spoke from the Roosevelt Room at the White House. He is expected to address the nation Sunday night from the Oval Office. 

“Last night, I spoke with Donald Trump. 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,” Biden said. “We also extend our deepest condolences to the family of the victim who was killed. He was a father. He was protecting his family from. The bullets are being fired. He lost his life. God love him.” 

President Joe Biden speaks from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington

President Joe Biden speaks from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Sunday, July 14, 2024, about the apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Listening are Vice President Kamala Harris, Attorney General Merrick Garland and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.  (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

He added: “We’re also praying for the full recovery of those who were injured. And we’re grateful to the Secret Service agents and other law enforcement agencies and individuals who risked their lives literally for our nation.” 

During his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday, former President Trump was shot as multiple shots were fired towards the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue. The bullet pierced the upper part of his right ear. The former president was rushed from the stage by Secret Service. 

TRUMP SAYS HE WAS ‘SHOT WITH A BULLET’ IN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AT PENNSYLVANIA RALLY

The would-be assassin was identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks.  Crooks 

One spectator was killed—Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief in Buffalo Township, Pa. Comperatore was shot and killed, as he shielded his wife and daughters from the bullets. 

Authorities say two others were critically injured in the attack. 

The FBI is investigating the shooting as an assassination attempt. 

“As I said last night, there is no place in America for this kind of violence or any violence for that matter. An assassination attempt is contrary to everything we stand for it as a nation. Everything,” Biden said. “It’s not who we are as a nation. It’s not America. And we cannot allow this to happen.” 

Biden said that “unity is the most elusive goal of all, but nothing is important than that right now.” 

Donald Trump reacts as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump reacts as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S., July 13, 2024.  (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)

“Unity will debate and we’ll disagree. It’s not that’s not going to change, but it’s going to we’re going to not lose sight of who we are as Americans,” Biden said. 

Biden and Vice President Harris were briefed in the Situation Room by the Homeland Security team, “including the director of the FBI, the secretary of Homeland Security, the attorney general, the director of the Secret Service, my Homeland Security advisor, the National Security advisor. And we’re going to continue to be briefed.” 

Biden stressed that the FBI is leading the investigation and said it is “still in its early stages.” 

“We don’t yet have any information about the motive of the shooter. We know who he is,” Biden said, while adding: “I urge everyone, everyone, please don’t make assumptions about his motives or affiliations.” 

President Biden and Vice President Harris receive an updated briefing about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in the White House Situation Room.

President Biden and Vice President Harris receive an updated briefing in the White House Situation Room from homeland security and law enforcement officials.

“Let the FBI do their job and their partner agencies do their job. I’m instructed that this investigation be thorough and swift, and the investigators will have every resource they need to get this done,” Biden said. 

Biden said that Trump, a former president and nominee of the Republican Party, “already received the heightened level of security.” 

“And I’ve been consistent in, in my direction of the Secret Service to provide him with every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure his continued safety,” Biden said. 

Biden also said he has “directed the head of the Secret Service to review all security measures for all security measures for the Republican National Convention, which is scheduled to start tomorrow.” 

Biden also said he is “directing an independent review of the security at yesterday’s rally to assess exactly what happened, and we’ll share the results of that independent review with the American people as well.” 

The president said he will speak further Sunday night. 

“We must unite as one nation. We must unite as one nation to demonstrate who we are,” he said. 

LIVE UPDATES ON DEADLY SHOOTING AT TRUMP RALLY

Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by secret service

Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by secret service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024.   (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)

Biden’s speech Sunday came after he and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed in the White House Situation Room from homeland security and law enforcement officials. 

Biden called former President Trump after the attempt on Trump’s life Saturday night. The White House described that call as “good, short and respectful.” 

TRUMP CAMPAIGN, RNC TO ‘PROCEED WITH OUR CONVENTION’ IN AFTERMATH OF RALLY SHOOTING

Donald Trump gestures while surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump gestures while surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents as he is helped off the stage at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., Saturday, July 13, 2024.  (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Biden, on Saturday night, condemned the shooting and called the assassination attempt of a former president and presidential candidate “sick.”

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The Biden campaign on Saturday night announced it would be pausing all outbound communications and pulling down their campaign ads targeting Trump. The campaign was in the middle of a $50 million ad blitz this month, with spots running in all of the key battleground states. 



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Emotional Graham delivers message of ‘love’ for Trump, says US needs ‘soul-searching’


Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., was visibly emotional Sunday when asked what message he wanted to send to former President Trump following an apparent assassination attempt.

Graham, who is not just an ally to Trump but also a friend, appeared on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and was asked what he would say to Trump once he’s able to speak to the former president, who is recovering from an apparent gunshot wound at his residence in Bedminster, New Jersey.

“I’m grateful you weren’t hurt any worse and I love you,” Graham said.

Graham also had another message for all Americans: “For the country, we probably need to do some soul-searching as a nation.”

LIVE UPDATES: FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP SURVIVES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, FBI IDs SHOOTER AS THOMAS MATTHEW CROOKS

Lindsey Graham

Graham said he wants to tell Trump that he “loves” him following the apparent assassination attempt. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Trump had just begun speaking at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday evening when a gunman on a nearby roof outside the venue fired multiple shots toward the stage.

Trump was seen hitting the deck as Secret Service agents rushed the stage to surround the former president. Moments later, a bloodied Trump stood and was escorted off the stage, pumping his fist in the air in what Graham called “an iconic moment in American history.”

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally

Trump pumps his fist as Secret Service agents surround him after he was struck by a bullet at a campaign rally on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

“Fate stepped in, the hand of God, call it whatever you like,” Graham said when recalling the moment that he watched Trump pump his fist on stage. “This is the toughest guy I think that I’ve ever met. He’s the modern version of Teddy Roosevelt.”

WOULD-BE TRUMP ASSASSIN HAD EXPLOSIVES IN CAR PARKED NEAR RALLY, BOMB-MAKING MATERIALS AT HOME: REPORTS

Graham said that ongoing rhetoric critical of Trump has been “way too hot,” and he was “worried” for a long time that something like this could happen.

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump is assisted by guards during a campaign rally

Trump had just begun speaking at the rally when the shots were fired. (Reuters/Brendan McDermid)

“If he wins, democracy’s not going to end. He’s not a fascist,” Graham said. “He represents a point of view that millions share. The rhetoric is way too hot.”

Graham also remembered the life of a man in the crowd who was killed at the rally. 

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“His life came to end, other people hurt,” the senator said. “Let’s blame the shooter, but let’s all try to do better.”



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Would-be Trump assassin had explosives in car parked near rally, bomb-making materials at home: reports


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The man authorities say attempted to assassinate former President Trump had explosives inside his car, found parked near the Pennsylvania rally, and bomb-making materials at his home, according to reports Sunday. 

Law enforcement discovered the car, which was driven by Thomas Matthew Crooks, parked near the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people briefed on the investigation. 

The Journal said authorities dispatched bomb technicians after police received multiple reports of suspicious packages near where the shooter was located. 

The sources added that investigators remained at the scene well into the night to make sure it was clear and also conducted a search of Crooks’ home and spoke with his family.

WHO WAS THOMAS MATTHEW CROOKS? WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT TRUMP’S ATTEMPTED ASSASSIN

Trump shooter car

Authorities reportedly found the would-be assassin’s car near the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, with explosives inside. (Fox News)

The FBI early Sunday identified Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, “as the subject involved in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania.” 

The bureau said the investigation remains active and ongoing and encourages anyone with information to submit photos or videos online at fbi.gov/butler or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Undated file photo of Thomas Matthew Crooks

Undated file photo of Thomas Matthew Crooks. Crooks is alleged to be the shooter in the assassination attempt on former President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, July 13, 2024. (Fox News Digital law enforcement source)

TRUMP SHOOTING WITNESS SAYS HE WARNED AUTHORITIES OF GUNMAN CRAWLING ONTO ROOF BEFORE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

Crooks reportedly shot at Trump from a rooftop perch some 130 yards away during a rally in the small town, striking the upper part of Trump’s right ear while the former president was speaking to rallygoers. It happened ahead of the Republican National Convention, which is scheduled to kick off on Monday in Milwaukee. 

An FBI official said investigators had not yet determined a motive.

Secret Service agents fatally shot Crooks. The gunman attacked from an elevated position outside the rally venue at a farm show in Butler, the agency said.

Trump pumps fist at Pennsylvania rally shooting

Secret Service agents surround Republican presidential candidate former President Trump onstage after he was injured at a rally on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

One attendee was killed, and two spectators were critically wounded, authorities said. All were identified as men, but their names have not yet been released. 

Law enforcement officials told the Associated Press that bomb-making materials were found inside Crooks’ vehicle and bomb-making materials were also found at his home. The two officials were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

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Investigators believe the firearm Crooks used had been purchased by Crooks’ father at least six months ago, two law enforcement officials told the AP. Federal agents were still working to understand when and how his son obtained the gun, and to gather additional information about Crooks, according to the officials.

Fox News’ Scott McDonald and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 



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Potential Trump VP JD Vance accuses Biden admin of inciting violence


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Sen. J.D. Vance, who is under consideration to be former President Trump’s running mate on the 2024 Republican ticket, accused the Biden campaign of inciting violence against Trump.

The Ohio senator wrote in a social media post that the attempt on Trump’s life at a rally in Butler, Penn., on Saturday was “not just some isolated incident.” 

“The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs,” Vance posted on X. 

WHO WAS THOMAS MATTHEW CROOKS? EVERYTHING WE KNOW ABOUT TRUMP’S ATTEMPTED ASSASSIN

J.D. Vance

Vance speaks during a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing in Washington, D.C. (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein)

He continued, “That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.”

Vance is considered a front-runner in the race to become Trump’s vice-president — alongside North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida. 

The Ohio senator was once a strong critic of Trump, but has become an avowed Trump loyalist since the former president’s first term.

TRUMP SAYS ‘GOD ALONE’ PREVENTED ‘UNTHINKABLE’ AFTER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

Donald Trump gestures with a bloodied face as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally

Former President Trump gestures with a bloodied face after multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Reuters/Brendan McDermid)

Republican Party strategists have asserted that choosing Vance as a running mate would send a message of confidence to Trump’s core supporters and double-down on his platform.

Another potential Trump vice presidential candidate, Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, likewise, said rhetoric from the left was to blame for the shooting. 

“Let’s be clear: This was an assassination attempt aided and abetted by the radical Left and corporate media incessantly calling Trump a threat to democracy, fascists, or worse,” he wrote on social media following the shooting.

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President Joe Biden speaks in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Biden speaks in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, addressing news that gunshots rang out at former President Trump’s Pennsylvania campaign rally. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old man from western Pennsylvania, as the person behind the attempted assassination.

Federal authorities are investigating the assassination attempt and have not yet revealed a potential motive. 



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Democrat push to replace Biden is ‘over’ after Trump assassination attempt, president’s allies say: report


The effort to replace President Biden as the Democratic Party’s 2024 nominee has lost all momentum and is essentially “over” following the assassination attempt against former President Trump, allies of the president say, according to a new report.

A steady stream of Democratic lawmakers and top donors had called on Biden to drop out of the race throughout last week and the weekend. Allies of Biden now say Trump’s attempted slaying has taken the wind from the sails of Biden’s critics.

“I think it’s over,” one ally to the president told NBC News. “You just lose all momentum.”

“They were having a very bad political day, and then we had this supernova event. Now, it’s frozen,” one Democratic strategist told the outlet. “If you’re an advocate for: ‘How do we tell the old man it’s time to go?’ – it’s really hard to have that conversation publicly. This event blocks out the sun right now.”

TRUMP SAYS HE WAS ‘SHOT WITH A BULLET’ IN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AT PENNSYLVANIA RALLY

President Joe Biden speaks in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

The effort to replace President Biden as the Democratic Party’s 2024 nominee has lost all momentum and is essentially “over” following the assassination attempt against former President Trump, allies of the president say. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Biden addressed the nation soon after the assassination attempt on Saturday, condemning the violence and saying he was praying for Trump and his family.

“I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania,” Biden said in a statement at the time. “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. Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”

TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT SHINES LIGHT ON RALLY SECURITY

Biden later spoke to Trump over the phone, but details of their conversation have not been released. Biden also spoke with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Butler Mayor Bob Dandoy.

Trump holds fist

Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face as Secret Service agents take him off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)

Biden’s campaign reacted quickly to cancel plans for ads attacking Trump for the time being. Staffers were told to “refrain from issuing any comments on social media or in public,” according to NBC News.

ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON TRUMP AT PENNSYLVANIA RALLY LEAVES 2 HURT, 2 DEAD, INCLUDING SHOOTER

“It’s likely the effort to dislodge Biden has ended. He’s not going to voluntarily step aside in this moment,” another Biden ally told the outlet. “Biden demonstrated he’s going to fight.”

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is rushed offstage

Biden’s campaign reacted quickly to cancel plans for ads attacking Trump for the time being after the attempt on his life. Staffers were told to “refrain from issuing any comments on social media or in public.” (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

The assassination attempt took place two days before the start of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where Trump will be formally nominated as the GOP’s 2024 presidential candidate.

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The Democratic National Committee told Fox News that it is in the process of pulling down ads that it went up with on Monday on 57 municipal buses in Milwaukee, the site of the GOP convention.

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report



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Republican National Convention security tightens following Trump assassination attempt


The Republican National Convention (RNC) is going on as planned following the attempted assassination of President Trump, and heightened security can be seen around the venue expecting tens of thousands of people.

“Multiple layers of security and several perimeters to get through in order to get inside,” Fox News’ Bill Melugin posted to X early Sunday morning from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, where the RNC starts Monday and runs through Thursday. 

The security measures currently include many blocks of street closures in all directions surrounding the arena, including K-rail barriers and metal barricades. Additionally, police can be seen “all over,” and there are routine helicopter flyovers.

Those covering the event for the media had to go through three layers of security to enter the venue, showing press credentials each time. Security included Secret Service and TSA checkpoints, with metal scanners and bag checks.

FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP SURVIVES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, FBI IDS SHOOTER AS THOMAS MATTHEW CROOKS

Inside FNC Fiserv Forum

Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is preparing to welcome attendees of the Republican National Convention. (Fox News)

“My staff and I are in contact with those coordinating security planning for the RNC and will continue to be in close communication as we learn more about this situation,” Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers posted to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “We cannot be a country that accepts political violence of any kind – that is not who we are as Americans.”

Attention quickly shifted to the nearly week-long event’s security following a shooting that injured the upper part of Trump’s ear at his rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.  

RNC 2024 Trump sign

The RNC is where President Trump will accept the nomination to run for a second term for the White House. (Fox News)

Gunfire broke out at the Trump rally shortly after the former president began speaking at the Butler Farm Show grounds. One rally attendee was killed, and two spectators were critically injured. 

PENNSYLVANIA TRUMP RALLY ATTENDEE SPEAKS ON ‘EXTREMELY LAX’ SECURITY MEASURES AFTER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

President Trump still plans to attend the RNC, where he will be nominated as his party’s candidate for the November general election in his bid to serve as the 47th president of the United States.

Fiserv Forum look inside

Fiserv Form is a multipurpose arena that is home to the Milwaukee Bucks. It will host the RNC, starting Monday. (Fox News)

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“I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin,” Trump posted to Truth Social Sunday morning. 

Fox News’ Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 



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Democrat governors reel from Biden’s Putin-Zelenskyy gaffe, implications for US leadership on world stage


A handful of Democratic governors explained to Fox News Digital whether they’d prefer that President Biden step aside from his re-election bid, as the commander-in-chief once again raised eyebrows with back-to-back gaffes confusing Vice President Kamala Harris with former President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with Russia’s Vladimir Putin on the same day. 

A day after Biden introduced Zelenskyy at the NATO conference in Washington, D.C., as “President Putin,” the Ukrainian leader was on the ground in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he addressed the attendees of the National Governor’s Association (NGA) summer meeting. 

Zelenskyy on Friday described the more than two-year-long conflict as “the most transparent battle between good and evil of our time,” expressing gratitude for “American leadership” in response to what he categorized as Russia’s “unprovoked and unjust aggression.” 

Fox News Digital asked Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat and the incoming 2024-2024 NGA chair, after the speech about whether, given Biden’s confusion of Zelenskyy for Putin a day earlier, the American president is a strong enough candidate to represent the United States on the world stage. 

CAMPAIGN CRISIS: DEMS WHO HAVE CALLED FOR BIDEN TO DROP OUT OR RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT HIS HEALTH

Polis at governor's meeting

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis speaks at a news conference at the National Governors Association 2024 summer meeting on Friday, July 12, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

But Polis dodged addressing Biden’s mix-up directly. “I’ve been at this conference all day, so I’m not aware of what you’re referring to,” Polis said. “But I think President Zelensky gave a really strong case for why this is not only important for Ukraine, for Europe, but frankly, for the global world order.” 

“I mean, you know, when you have a bully, you need to stand up to them. And it’s very important that Europe, America, our Asian allies, stand up to Putin’s aggression,” Polis said. He added that Zelenskyy “made it very clear” he’s not asking for U.S. boots on the ground, putting American lives at risk.  

Zelenskyy at National Governors Association meeting

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy waves after speaking at the National Governors Association summer meeting Friday, July 12, 2024, in Salt Lake City.  (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

“They’re asking for our help. I think there was strong consensus among the governors that we want to do what we can,” Polis said. “In fact, the single biggest ask, and this really speaks to what is going on, is they need to construct more bomb shelters at their schools, at their hospitals. Russia’s been indiscriminate in their campaign of terrorism against the Ukrainian people. So it’s very important that we unite and stand up against that.” 

Polis did, however, admit that there’s discussion of changing strategy, whether that be the “campaign message” or the “candidate,” to ensure Democrats stay competitive enough to win in November. 

“Of course, Democrats could win in November. It’s a very close election. I think it’s also fair and objective to say, yes, that, President Biden is behind, not by a lot, but he is behind. If the election was today, we’d likely lose,” Polis said. “Which means that we need to change something as a strategy, to protect freedom, protect our democracy. We need to look at what that strategy is. Does it mean changing the campaign strategy? Campaign message? The candidate? All of these things are being discussed.” 

“I want to make sure that we put our very best foot forward to protect our democracy going forward, which includes, of course, support for NATO, and, global world order, the policies and the progress you’ve achieved over the last four years,” the governor added. “When you’re behind, it doesn’t mean you give up.”

Biden again on Friday night emphatically stated that he is running and going to win. 

YEARSLONG TENSIONS BOIL OVER AS EX-OBAMA STAFFERS GANG UP ON BIDEN: ‘CLOONEY WAS EXACTLY RIGHT’

Fox News Digital caught up with Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, another Democrat, on the sidelines of the conference, asking whether Biden is strong enough on the world stage or if he should bow out.  

In response, Green argued that both Biden and former President Donald Trump have “limitations” due to their age — but added Trump’s “personality” was more dangerous to people of both parties. 

“President Biden has been extraordinary for our state. When we had a disaster, he, within six hours, he stepped up and did the major disaster declaration,” Green said, referring to the Maui wildfires. “He has helped us recover. I heard from Republicans, as governors and congresspeople, and Democrats across the board. The only person I never heard from was Mr. Trump, except for some negativity about our state. That speaks to his personality. Mr. Biden has a good heart.” 

Biden and Zelenskyy at NATO summit in DC

President Biden, joined by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaks on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Washington, Thursday, July 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

“Older people, and I would include Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden in that category, are going to miss words and there are going to be moments,” Green told Fox News Digital. “I’m a physician. I have a very keen awareness of Mr. Biden’s limitations and Mr. Trump’s limitations. And in truth, the limitations of the latter, Mr. Trump are significant because his personality ends up making policy that really, in my opinion, hurts Republicans and Democrats alike. This is, of course, you’re asking a Democrat.” 

Green also vowed that he would be “with the president until he chooses not to accept the Democratic nomination, if he chooses to go a different way because Jill or Pelosi or President Obama have a heart-to-heart with them, and they make that decision together.” “That’s their decision,” the governor said. “But we should respect our leaders if they have given us decades of service. And Hawaii should respect President Biden right now because he’s given us so much to help us recover.”

As Zelenskyy spoke of the need to rebuild in Ukraine from the war, Hawaii also must rebuild after the Maui wildfires. Green, who governs a chain of islands in the south Pacific, further argued that the Ukraine conflict hits closer to home for his state, as there have been instances of Russian warships off Hawaii’s shores, and further downfall in relations between China and Taiwan or North Korea would have an immediate impact. Given those “geopolitical considerations,” he made a case that certain “expenditures” were justified, referring to the financial backing by the United States for Kyiv’s war effort. 

Green at governor's meeting

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green speaks at the 2024 summer meeting of the National Governors Association, Thursday, July 11, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Green still emphasized the need for a peace deal and added whether it be Biden or Trump, that “irrespective of who’s leading, this war should end.” 

“It’s critically important,” he said of U.S. support for Ukraine. “There are very real security issues off of the coast of Hawaii. There have been Russian warships that have come into the region, which we are monitoring at all times. That happens with some frequency. They’re gathering data. And so all I can say is this. We should support President Zelenskyy, period. We should support his people. Because from a humanitarian standpoint is a tragedy in that the Russian government and Mr. Putin are continuing this war. I would humbly ask that they stop the war, and we would call for a peace treaty, because it is scary to think of how many people are lost. Also on the Russian side, lost lives.” 

Asked whether Biden was a strong enough candidate to face Trump in November, Green claimed the abortion issue would be enough to win the Democrat incumbent another four years. 

“If women make the choice and I mean Republican women, independent women and Democratic women make the choice that their reproductive rights are important to them, enough of them will choose Biden and he would win the election,” the governor said. “Biden was bad during that debate. Trump was bad during that debate. If you really want to know the truth. So we’ll just see what happens. But there are 65 million women of reproductive age, which I think who are going to have something to say about this election. And if they choose the former president. That’s democracy. If they choose Biden, they’re probably looking out for their daughters.” 

Carney at governor's meeting

Delaware Gov. John Carney looks on during the 2024 summer meeting of the National Governors Association, Thursday, July 11, 2024, in Salt Lake City.  (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Delaware Gov. John Carney, a Democrat leading Biden’s home state, told Fox News Digital at the NGA summer meeting on Thursday that despite Biden’s disastrous debate performance, he feels the president should stay in the race. The 2023-2024 initiative of the outgoing NGA Chair, Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox was to “Disagree Better,” emphasizing the need for civility between opposing parties when discussing conflicts of opinions. Carney argued that Biden was the best candidate to continue that spirit. 

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“I’m on the record is that he should stay in the race. You know, I see him frequently. You know, I’ve been to the White House and, you know, I’ve known him for years and know what he stands for. He’s just this kind of person that’s tried to bring the various sides and perspectives together,” Carney said. “And I heard this whole conversation about disagreeing better. I would argue that he’s the best person to lead the country forward in that respect. With respect to the Democrats and the discussion that’s going on about that candidacy, my perception is that everyone is doing it respectfully.” 



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Major Democrat demands Secret Service protection for RFK, Jr after suspected Trump assassination attempt


A major Democrat is demanding independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. be provided Secret Service protection following the suspected assassination attempt on former President Trump.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis took to social media just hours after the shooting at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, calling on President Biden to change his administration’s previous decision to deny Kennedy Secret Service protection.

“I encourage [Biden] to immediately provide secret service protection for [Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.],” Polis wrote on X.

SUSPECTED TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT SHINES LIGHT ON RALLY SECURITY

Kennedy’s campaign racked up $1.4 million in debt by early spring to a private security firm, while the Biden administration has repeatedly denied his requests for Secret Service protection. 

Kennedy has assailed Biden for having rejected at least three requests for protection while on the 2024 campaign trail, going back to last year.

The Biden administration has maintained that Secret Service protection for Kennedy “is not warranted,” according to a letter obtained by Deseret News. According to Kennedy, that was despite several documented death threats against him. 

ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON TRUMP AT PENNSYLVANIA RALLY LEAVES 2 HURT, 2 DEAD INCLUDING SHOOTER

Robert Kennedy, Donald Trump, Jared Polis

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., former President Donald Trump, and Democrat Colorado Gov. Jared Polis. (Getty Images)

Kennedy’s father, the late former Democratic New York senator and U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, and uncle, the late former President John F. Kennedy, were both assassinated in the 1960s.

Kennedy appeared on Fox News following the assassination attempt against Trump, and praised the Secret Service agents who rushed to protect Trump amid the shooting, but avoided leveling further criticism at the Biden administration for denying him protection.

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The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Fox News’ Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.



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Biden spoke with Trump following shooting at Pennsylvania rally


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President Biden spoke with former President Trump Saturday night after a shooting at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, a White House spokesperson told Fox News.

The former president suffered injuries to his ear after the shooting, appearing with blood on his face. He was discharged from Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh late Saturday night.

Biden also spoke with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Butler Mayor Bob Dandoy.

A briefing was given to Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday night from Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall, Attorney General Merrick Garland, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and FBI Director Christopher Wray.

BIDEN CAMPAIGN PULLING ADS IN WAKE OF TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING

Donald Trump is moved from the stage at a campaign rally

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is moved from the stage at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania.  (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The spokesperson said the president is returning to the White House from his home in Delaware. On Sunday, he will receive an updated briefing from Homeland Security and law enforcement officials.

“I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania,” Biden said in a statement. “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. Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”

The FBI is leading the investigation into the shooting.

The Secret Service confirms one spectator was killed and two others were injured in the shooting. The shooter was also killed.

“During Former President Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on the evening of July 13 at approximately 6:15 p.m., a suspected shooter fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue,” the Secret Service said in a statement.

“U.S. Secret Service personnel neutralized the shooter, who is now deceased,” the statement added. “U.S. Secret Service quickly responded with protective measures and Former President Trump is safe. One spectator was killed, and two spectators were critically injured. This incident is currently under investigation. and the Secret Service has notified the FBI.”

TRUMP SAYS HE WAS ‘SHOT WITH A BULLET’ IN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AT PENNSYLVANIA RALLY

Trump holds fist

The FBI is leading the investigation into the shooting. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Politicians from all sides have condemned the shooting.

Trump thanked law enforcement after the incident for their quick response, and expressed condolences to the spectator who was killed.

“I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania,” Trump said in a statement. “Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured.”

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“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country,” he continued. “Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead. 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. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”

Fox News’ Sarah Tobianski contributed to this report.



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Pennsylvania Trump rally had ‘extremely lax’ security measures, eyewitness says


An eyewitness at former President Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, spoke out about the “extremely lax” security at the event after gunshots rang out on Saturday.

Benjamin Shrader, who was invited to the battleground state rally by Trump himself, told Fox News Digital that the security was “terrible.”

“My first thing that I have to say is that security at this event was terrible,” he said.  “It was extremely lax.”

TRUMP RALLY ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT WITNESS SAYS ‘EVERYBODY HIT GROUND,’ WERE LEFT ‘STUNNED’ FOLLOWING GUNFIRE

Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face

Former President Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by Secret Service agents after an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)

Shrader said that the security at the special guest section was “great,” but overall security at the major political rally was “lax.”

“I had to give all my information and security in the special guest section and that was great,” he said. “But overall for the event, the security was extremely lax.”

Overall, for the event, the security was extremely lax.

— Benjamin Shrader, eyewitness at Trump rally

Shrader added that the screening for general admission before the event was lacking.

“There were only metal detectors and then a pat down. That was it,” he said. “There was nobody going around the fences and somebody could have easily thrown a gun in.”

SHOOTING AT TRUMP RALLY BEING INVESTIGATED AS ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

The U.S. Secret Service (USSS) later said, in a news release, that the suspected shooter fired from an “elevated position,” killing at least one person and critically injuring two others.

A law enforcement officer move during republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump's rally

One person was killed and two others were injured during an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally on Saturday. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Shrader said that he witnessed a “ton of blood” following the successive gunfire.

“I was standing, when I heard the gunfire, I turned around and a person maybe three meters behind me was hit,” he said. “There was a ton of blood.”

He continued: “I turned to look at the president, and he put his hand to his right, to his face and then held it up [in a fist].”

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump is assisted by guards during a campaign rally

Eyewitness Benjamin Shrader described Trump’s response to the assassination attempt on his life as courageous and “truly admirable.” (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)

Shrader said “there was no rush” after the gunfire and that security let everyone leave the area.

“There was no kind of lock down. There was nothing,” he said. “The best Secret Service people seemed to surround Trump after he got hit, but there was no kind of lock down. It was very confusing.”

ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON TRUMP AT PENNSYLVANIA RALLY LEAVES 2 HURT, 2 DEAD, INCLUDING SHOOTER 

It was chaos…

— Benjamin Shrader, eyewitness at Trump rally

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump covered by Secret Service agents

Former President Donald Trump is covered by U.S. Secret Service agents after an attempted assassination at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, July 13. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Trump showed “courage” that was “truly admirable” during the chaotic incident, according to Shrader.

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“I wish the best to the president and I wish him nothing but good health,” he said. “He was strong. He held up a fist and the show of such courage in a moment like that is truly admirable.”





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Two key states to see massive GOP voter registration operation


EXCLUSIVE: A big money effort is under way aimed at providing conservative candidates with a strategic advantage in pivotal battleground states.

Starting Monday, Heritage Action for America, a right-wing nonprofit, will unveil a new, multi-million-dollar initiative to “give conservative candidates the electoral edge” in Georgia and Arizona, where officials with Heritage Action said there have long been other organizational resources in place.

Heritage Action executive vice president Ryan Walker said that the effort will differ from standard political campaigning, as the group will not show favor for any particular candidate on the ballot.

Walker said the push will entail utilizing voter files and consumer data to identify pockets of the population that they will analyze to determine whether they may favor conservative candidates.

Georgia welcome sign

A sign welcomes travelers to the Peach State at the I-20 East Welcome Center near Tallapoosa, Georgia, on October 3, 2022. (Charlie Creitz)

“We can go to their homes and survey them, knock on their doors…deliver content to them about the issues that are top of mind for voters in this election cycle,” Walker said.

“And then we can go back to them with that messaging and content, to convince them that exercising their right to vote is important in this election cycle. And so it’s a more robust campaign than a simple, mail-flier campaign that goes to homes.”

Walker reiterated that the push, although heavily resourced, is targeted in scope and principally issues-based.

Kevin Roberts, president of Heritage Action, noted that President Biden won the White House in 2020 by a very small margin in Georgia, Arizona, and other swing states.

Bright-Angel-Trail-Grand-Canyon

Bright Angel Trail as it begins its descent from Grand Canyon Village into the canyon. (NPS photo)

“After he opened our borders, destroyed our economy through overspending and inflation, and invited conflict around the globe with failed foreign policy, voters are eager to fire him for good,” Roberts said.

“Heritage Action’s strategic voter registration campaign is finding and equipping the voters needed to ensure conservative majorities in must-win states across the country.”

Pennsylvania is seen as a swing state once again, and reliably blue states such as Wisconsin and New York are seen as potentially fruitful for conservatives. 

In Wisconsin, Biden slightly trails former President Trump, while Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin leads GOP opponent Eric Hovde in polling averages. In New York, state GOP chairman Ed Cox compared Biden to former President Carter and said the state is ripe for a rare GOP flip.

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I voted stickers

‘I Voted’ stickers are stacked at a polling place. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Walker was asked why Heritage Action chose Arizona and Georgia.

Walker responded by echoing Roberts, saying the project’s goal is to register about 80,000 people in each state, and that if they can do so, they believe conservatives will conversely have the edge this November.

He noted that top-tier races in Georgia were decided by about 12,000 votes.

“Our view is that registering that number of folks that support the policy solutions that we advocate for can turn the tide. And so that’s where our focus is now: just Arizona and Georgia,” he said.



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House Oversight Committee asks Secret Service chief to testify on Trump assassination attempt


The House Oversight Committee is summoning the head of the U.S. Secret Service to testify on the deadly shooting at former President Trump’s rally on Saturday night.

“Today, President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt when a gunman fired a weapon at him at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania,” House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., wrote in a letter to Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle. “At least one bystander is dead.”

Comer then lauded the agents who leaped on Trump seconds after he was grazed on the ear by a bullet while he spoke with supporters in Butler.

BIDEN SPOKE WITH TRUMP FOLLOWING SHOOTING AT PENNSYLVANIA RALLY

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer

Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, is summoning the head of the Secret Service. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“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,” Comer said. 

“The Committee on Oversight and Accountability has initiated an investigation into today’s assassination attempt on President Trump and requests your voluntary appearance at a full Committee hearing on July 22, 2024.”

That hearing would fall a week after the Republican National Convention (RNC), where Trump is set to be formally declared the GOP nominee for president.

In addition to Comer’s panel, the House Homeland Security Committee said earlier it was also seeking more information on Saturday’s events.

EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS POUR IN FOLLOWING TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT IN PENNSYLVANIA: ‘JUST BLOOD EVERYWHERE’

Trump holds fist

Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by Secret Service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024 (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)

“The Committee has been in contact with the United States Secret Service and has just requested an official briefing for our members on the attempted assassination of President Trump this evening in Pennsylvania,” the Homeland Security Committee said in a statement. 

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., vowed to summon Cheatle “and other appropriate officials from DHS and the FBI” before the House to demand answers.

Meanwhile, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., is putting pressure on Cheatle to ensure Americans that the upcoming Republican and Democratic conventions will be secure.

“The Director of the Secret Service needs to come out ASAP and let us know how this happened and how everyone at the RNC and DNC conventions will be safe,” Scott wrote on X.

PENNSYLVANIA TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING SUSPECT PICTURED AFTER DEADLY ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

Donald Trump is moved from the stage at a campaign rally

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is moved from the stage. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

It comes after Trump was struck in the ear and another rally attendee was killed when a gunman opened fire from a nearby roof toward the beginning of the ex-president’s remarks. Two more people were critically injured, according to the Secret Service, and the shooter was killed by law enforcement.

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Trump was escorted off-stage by a group of Secret Service agents who pounced on him immediately after he went down behind his podium, but not before pumping a fist in the air and mouthing “fight” to his supporters.

The Trump campaign indicated hours later that he would still be attending the RNC.



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Trump campaign, RNC to ‘proceed with’ convention in aftermath of rally shooting


Former President Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee have emphasized that the party’s upcoming convention will “proceed” following the deadly shooting at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

“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,” Trump co-campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita said in a statement.

The statement was also signed by Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley and co-chair Lara Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law.

The Republican National Convention, where Trump will be formally nominated as the GOP’s 2024 standard-bearer, is scheduled to kick off on Monday in Milwaukee, the largest city in swing-state Wisconsin.

BIDEN SAYS HE’S ‘PRAYING’ FOR TRUMP AFTER SHOOTING AT FORMER PRESIDENT’S RALLY 

The Republican National Convention gets underway in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Monday July 15, 2024

An exterior view of Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum, where the Republican National Convention kicks off on Monday, July 15, 2024 (Fox News – Monica Oroz)

Reince Priebus, chair of the Milwaukee convention host committee and a former RNC chair who later served as Trump’s first White House chief of staff, noted in a statement that “guests have already begun to arrive in Wisconsin, and we look forward to working with the Republican National Committee to welcome everyone to Milwaukee this week.”

The statements from the Trump campaign, the RNC and the host committee were issued a couple of hours after the former president was rushed from the stage after shots rang out at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, which is located north of Pittsburgh in the western part of the Keystone State.

EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS POUR IN FOLLOWING TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT IN PENNSYLVANIA: ‘JUST BLOOD EVERYWHERE’

Donald Trump gestures with a bloodied face as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures with a bloodied face as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)

The Secret Service reported that “a suspected shooter fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue. US Secret Service personnel neutralized the shooter, who is now deceased.”

“One spectator was killed, two spectators were critically injured,” the Secret Service added in their statement.

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The shooting took place minutes after Trump began speaking at his rally, and the visibly bloodied former president was rushed off the stage by Secret Service agents.

“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear,” Trump said in a social media post.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.



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RNC’s Secret Service clash thrust back into spotlight after deadly Trump rally shooting


A months-long fight between former President Trump’s campaign and the Secret Service under President Biden’s administration is back in the spotlight as the Republican National Convention approaches on the heels of an assassination attempt on Trump. 

“My staff and I are in contact with those coordinating security planning for the RNC and will continue to be in close communication as we learn more about this situation,” Gov. Tony Evers, D-Wis., wrote on X. 

Trump was injured in an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday night but was treated at a local hospital and is OK. After shots were fired at the event, Trump was seen with blood on his face and being escorted off-stage by Secret Service agents. 

GOP PRAYS FOR TRUMP AFTER SHOTS FIRED, FORMER PRESIDENT RUSHED OFF STAGE

As planning was underway for next week’s convention, where Trump will be made the official Republican nominee for president, Republicans and law enforcement and Secret Service leaders fought over security measures. 

In a May letter, Republican National Committee counsel Todd R. Steggerda wrote to Kimberly A. Cheatle, the director of the Secret Service, “Your failure to act now to prevent these unnecessary and certain risks will imperil tens of thousands of convention attendees, inexcusably forcing them into close proximity to the currently planned First Amendment Zone,” reported the New York Times

TRUMP JR. SAYS FATHER ‘IN GREAT SPIRITS’ AT HOSPITAL AFTER SHOTS FIRED DURING PA RALLY

Republican National Convention Milwaukee

The Fiserv Forum stands illuminated at night ahead of the 2024 Republican National Convention on July 12, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

The Secret Service pushed back on Steggerda’s concerns at the time, claiming numerous meetings between convention staff and leaders had occurred, and they felt “confident in the security plan being developed.”

At the center of security concerns was a First Amendment zone for protesters which initially would have allowed demonstrators to be within close proximity of convention-goers — something Republicans took issue with. Republicans pushed repeatedly to move the zone further away from the convention site. 

The RNC notably expects more than 50,000 to attend the convention. 

BIDEN BRIEFED ON TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING: ‘I’M PRAYING FOR HIM’

Donald Trump gestures with a bloodied face as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures with a bloodied face as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S., July 13, 2024.  (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)

While Republicans sought to push demonstrators further from the convention site, activists worked at the same time to gain greater access to the RNC. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Coalition to March on the RNC 2024 had filed a lawsuit against Milwaukee, claiming their First Amendment rights were being violated. The groups specifically wanted to parade near Fiserv Forum, where the RNC would be. 

Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Brett Ludwig handed a defeat to the groups, ruling they don’t have the right to protest directly in front of the RNC, per the Associated Press

Donald Trump gestures with a bloodied face as multiple shots rang out during a campaign rally

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump is assisted by security personnel after gunfire rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S., July 13, 2024.  (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)

At one point, Democratic Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, characterized the clash, saying, “Demonstrators would like to go on stage at Fiserv Forum, and the RNC would rather that they be on the moon. But we have to strike the right balance to make sure that they are able to exercise their First Amendment rights. And I think we’ve done that,” according to Politico.

However, the “balance” has come back under scrutiny after the assassination attempt against Trump. 

WATCH: MOMENT YOU HEAR GUNFIRE RING OUT JUST BEFORE SECRET SERVICE SHIELDS TRUMP

“The Director of the Secret Service needs to come out ASAP and let us know how this happened and how everyone at the RNC and DNC conventions will be safe,” remarked Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., on X.

Scott, a member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, also demanded a hearing before next month to get answers from both the Department of Homeland Security, DHS and the Secret Service about how the assassination attempt was able to happen and how it is being investigated. 

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The Secret Service and the RNC did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital. 

In a statement after the incident, Trump’s campaign reiterated his intention to attend the RNC, saying, “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. As our party’s nominee, President Trump will continue to share his vision to Make America Great Again.”





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Dramatic video of Trump shows moments leading to shooting: ‘He’s got a gun!’


A dramatic video filmed at former President Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday shows the chaotic moments after attendees realized that someone was armed.

A video, filmed from the audience, shows Trump on stage speaking. Within a few seconds, someone can be heard shouting: “He’s got a gun!”

Several people in the crowd seemed to realize that an individual was armed before any shots rang out. The footage shows those nearby descending into pandemonium.

“He’s got a gun!” shouts one of the attendees.

BIDEN BRIEFED ON TRUMP RALLY SHOOTING: ‘I’M PRAYING FOR HIM’

Screengrab from Trump rally shooting video

Jaw-dropping footage shows the moments shortly before, during and after the Trump rally shooting on Saturday. (TMX)

“He’s on the roof!” shouts another.

Multiple shots could then be heard ringing out. The video, still rolling, shows attendees running for cover.

A voice could be heard advising others not to go near the building where the shooter was situated.

Within seconds, the video showed that the shooter had been neutralized. One eyewitness said that he saw the gunman’s lifeless body.

“He’s dead. I just seen his hair go up. They shot him in the head,” the man said.

Officials later confirmed on Saturday that the gunman was killed, along with another person at the rally. The assassination attempt has led to an outpouring of sympathy from both sides of the political aisle, with President Biden reporting that he offered his well-wishes to Trump over the phone.

WORLD LEADERS REACT TO SHOOTING AT TRUMP RALLY: ‘SHOCKED’ AT ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

The crowd reacts after shots were fired at republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump's rally

The crowd reacts after shots were fired at republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump’s rally on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania.   (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania,” Biden’s initial statement began. “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, “Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety,” Biden added. “There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland also confirmed that the Department of Justice is investigating the shooting.

“I have been briefed on the shooting at former President Trump’s rally, and have briefed the President. The FBI, ATF, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and the Department’s National Security Division are currently working with the Secret Service as well as state and local law enforcement partners on the ground in Butler, Pennsylvania,” Garland said.

Trump holds fist

Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by Secret Service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)

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“My heart is with the former President, those injured, and the family of the spectator killed in this horrific attack,” he added.



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