No Biden Statement One Hour After Apparent Trump Assassination Attempt

President Joe Biden waited more than an hour to release a statement on the apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, Biden’s opponent in the 2024 presidential election.

Trump appeared to be shot at a rally in Pennsylvania and Secret Service agents rushed in to protect him. The former president left the rally with a bloody ear. A spokesperson for Trump said the former president was “fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility.”

Reports from the White House indicated Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were getting briefed about Trump and, more than 90 minutes after the scare, Biden issued a statement on X.

“I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania,” Biden said. 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.”

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…

— President Biden (@POTUS) July 13, 2024

A Democrat from Florida, Rep. Jared Moskowitz, urged Biden to address the nation.

“President Biden must address the nation,” he said on X. “From the oval. Bring the temperature down. Remind us we are all Americans”

President Biden must address the nation. From the oval. Bring the temperature down. Remind us we are all Americans

— Jared Moskowitz (@JaredEMoskowitz) July 13, 2024

Other Democrats put out statements concerning Trump, too, before the White House released one from Biden.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), for instance, released the following statement: “My thoughts and prayers are with former President Trump. I am thankful for the decisive law enforcement response. America is a democracy. Political violence of any kind is never acceptable.”

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement that this was a “horrible moment,” adding that he’s “encouraged to hear President Trump’s team indicate that the former president is doing well.”

“An entire nation must speak with one voice today to completely and unequivocally reject all political violence,” Buttigieg said.  

“There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy,” former President Barack Obama said on X. “Although we don’t yet know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics.”

“Michelle and I are wishing him a quick recovery,” Obama added.

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