Joe Biden, president of the U.S., expressed relief that former President Donald Trump was safe after a shooting at his rally in Pennsylvania.
Speaking from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, shortly after the incident, Biden stated, “There’s no place in America for this kind of violence. It’s sick.”
The shooting has the potential to escalate political tensions ahead of the November elections. Biden used this moment to call for national unity.
Donald Trump was shot at the rally
“We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this,” he emphasized. Biden and Trump spoke late Saturday night, according to a White House official.
Law enforcement officials are investigating the shooting as an attempted assassination. Trump sustained a wound to his ear but is reported to be in stable condition and receiving medical care. The suspected shooter and at least one rally attendee were killed, Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger informed CNN.
Biden was attending mass at St. Edmond’s Catholic Church in Rehoboth Beach when the shooting took place. He is set to return to the White House earlier than planned to receive an updated briefing from homeland security and law enforcement officials on Sunday.
This incident marks a pivotal moment for the nation and Biden’s presidency. He entered the church focused on his political future but left as the nation’s counselor in chief, tasked with uniting the country during a severe crisis.
The shooting at Trump’s rally is a dramatic turn in an already intense political season. Biden has framed the election as a choice between the preservation and potential destruction of democracy in the United States. His rhetoric, including a recent comment to donors about putting “Trump in the bullseye,” will now face scrutiny in light of the apparent attack.
In a statement earlier on Saturday, Biden said he was praying for Trump: “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.”
Inside Biden Campaign’s Response
Immediately following the incident, Biden’s campaign officials decided to pull all TV ads and limit public messaging. Campaign manager Julie Chávez Rodríguez and chair Jen O’Malley Dillon sent a note to staff urging them to refrain from issuing any comments on social media or in public. They also paused proactive campaign communication until more information was available.
In their note, Chávez Rodríguez and O’Malley Dillon expressed gratitude to law enforcement and wished Trump a quick recovery.
Mood Inside the White House
The mood inside the White House was one of shock as officials responded to the shooting. A senior administration official noted that there was a strong desire to be responsive and serious.
Biden’s chief of staff, Jeff Zients, sent a brief note to White House staff, saying the president was closely monitoring the situation and would provide updates.
Biden told his staff he wanted to address the nation as soon as he was briefed.
“It is just really horrible,” the senior administration official said, reflecting the internal reaction at the White House. “It should never happen. It’s unconscionable,” added a senior White House official.
