Former U.S. President Donald Trump was the target of an alleged assassination attempt during his election rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday. Reports indicate that Trump was shot, and the shooter is dead. The Secret Service is investigating the incident as an assassination attempt.
As shots rang out, Trump grabbed his right ear, then looked at it before dropping to his knees behind the podium. Secret Service agents quickly swarmed and covered him. He emerged about a minute later, his red “Make America Great Again” hat knocked off, and could be heard saying “wait, wait” before agents ushered him into a waiting vehicle.
A Washington Post reporter, citing the Butler County district attorney, reported that an audience member was also dead, and another person was in critical condition. Leading Republicans and Democrats swiftly condemned the violence.
The shooting occurred less than four months before the November 5th election, when Trump faces an election rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden. “President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act. He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow,” spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement.
President Biden took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to condemn the shooting incident, writing, “I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania. 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.”
Reports suggest that Trump Tower in New York is under lockdown following the shooting.
President Biden, Trump’s election rival, led the condemnation of the violence. He called the incident “sick” and said it highlighted the need for unity in America. Biden expressed hope to speak with Trump “shortly.” “There’s no place in America for this kind of violence. It’s sick. It’s sick. It’s one of the reasons why we have to unite this country… We cannot be like this, we cannot condone this,” Biden told reporters in an emergency briefing at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware. “The idea that there’s political violence, or violence in America like this, is just unheard of. It’s just not appropriate. Everybody, everybody must condemn it. Everybody,” Biden said.
