President Biden addressed Saturday’s assassination attempt on Donald Trump in a press conference on Sunday afternoon, and said he would further detail the White House’s response to the attack from the oval office later in the evening.
“As I said last night, there’s no place in America for this kind of violence, or any violence for that matter,” Biden said, also noting he extends his deepest condolences and prayers to the families of the victim who was killed and those who were injured. “An assassination attempt is contrary to everything we stand for as a nation — everything. It’s not who we are as a nation. It’s not America, and we cannot allow this to happen. Unity is the most elusive goal of all. But nothing is more important than that right now.”
Biden also outlined the White House’s response to the attack, saying that he and Vice President Harris were briefed on the situation by the director of the FBI, the attorney general, the director of the Secret Service, Biden’s Homeland Security advisor and his National Security advisor.
“The FBI is leading this investigation, which is still in its early stages. We don’t yet have any information about the motive of the shooter. We know who he is, but I urge everyone, please don’t make assumptions about his motives or his affiliations. Let the FBI do their job. I’ve instructed that this investigation be thorough and swift, and the investigators will have every resource they need to get this done.”
Biden also noted that Trump, as a former president and the presumptive GOP nominee, already receives heightened levels of security. The President added that he’s been “consistent in my direction of the Secret Service to provide [Trump] with every resource capability and protective measure necessary to ensure his continued safety.”
Biden added that he’s “directed the head of the Secret Service to review all security measures for the Republican National Convention” and that there will be an “independent review of national security at yesterday’s rally to assess exactly what happened,” the results of which will be shared with the public when complete.
Biden said he would address the situation in further detail later on Sunday in the oval office, and did not take any further questions. Harris appeared alongside the president in the briefing room.
Former President Trump was the target of an assassination attempt Saturday at a rally in Pennsylvania, when the sound of gunfire sent the crowd into panic and a bloodied Trump was escorted offstage by Secret Service.
Trump’s campaign said after the event he was doing “fine,” and the presumptive GOP nominee later announced he would speak at the Republican National Convention, which begins in Wisconsin on Monday.
Early Sunday, the FBI named Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20 as the subject involved in the assassination attempt. One attendee was killed and two spectators were critically injured. The investigation remains active and ongoing.
Biden condemned the deadly shooting at Trump’s campaign rally on Saturday, writing in a statement that he had been briefed on the incident and that “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,” he continued. “There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”
The president later said in a televised news briefing Saturday evening that he had tried to get in touch with Trump, adding, “I hope I get to speak to him tonight.” The White House later confirmed that Biden spoke to Trump Saturday night.
