Donald Trump Called for National Unity in the Face of "Evil" as the FBI Investigates Motives Behind the Assassination Attempt on the Republican Presidential Candidate. The Incident Occurred at a Campaign Event on Saturday Evening and Has Shaken the 2024 Presidential Election. With Less Than Four Months Until Election Day in November, This Act of Political Violence Threatens to Further Polarize the Country.
We will not be afraid, but steadfast and defiant in our faith in the face of evil," the former president posted on his platform Truth Social on Sunday. "At this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand united and show our true character as Americans, remain strong and determined, and not let evil prevail.
Trump added that it was God alone who had prevented the unthinkable, and that he looked forward to speaking to the nation from Wisconsin this week.
Trump to Travel to Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Monday, Where He Will Be Officially Nominated as Republican Presidential Candidate.
Both Republicans and Democrats supported an investigation into the apparent security gaps.
We need to know how a person at this altitude, who was apparently seen by spectators on the ground, could not be noticed by the Secret Service," he said. "We need to know: Is this a protocol failure? A resource problem? Or simply a failure of those who were on site that day?" Mike Turner, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, told CNN.
Ruben Gallego, candidate for the US Senate in Arizona, wrote to the Director of the Secret Service, Kimberly Cheatle, demanding that "all those responsible for planning, approving, and executing this failed security plan must be held accountable and immediately testify before Congress.
John Fetterman, Democratic Senator from Pennsylvania, reaffirmed the need for an investigation and called for more moderate rhetoric before referring to the upcoming election as the biggest election "of our lives.
The shots were fired shortly after the start of Trump's rally from an "elevated position" outside the venue in Butler, West Pennsylvania, according to the US Secret Service. A spectator – identified as Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old former fire chief – was killed, and two other people were seriously injured. All the victims were male.
After the shots, Trump crouched down and was surrounded by Secret Service agents. They escorted him off the stage as blood streamed from his right ear and covered his face. He clenched his fist and shouted "Fight, fight, fight!" to the crowd before being taken to his motorcade and driven for medical attention.
The FBI identified the shooter as Thomas Crooks, a 20-year-old man from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, a city in the swing state, about 40 miles from the venue. Crooks, who was on the roof of a building outside the open venue, was killed by Secret Service agents. The motives for the attempt to assassinate the former president are not yet known, the FBI said.
According to state voter registrations, Crooks was a registered Republican. He also donated $15 to the Progressive Turnout Project, a left-wing voter mobilization initiative, in 2021, according to campaign finance records.
Instead of traditional fundraising activities, the Trump campaign directed supporters to donate to the victims and their families.
US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed on the latest developments by security and law enforcement agencies, including Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray, Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas, and Secret Service Director Cheatle, in the White House Situation Room on Sunday.
The White House announced that Biden and Trump had spoken after the assassination attempt. Biden was in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where he has a vacation home, when the shots were fired. He rushed back to the White House late on Saturday night after giving a brief address to the nation in which he said that "there is no place for this kind of violence in America.
