Former President Donald Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to call for unity in the wake of an assassination attempt on his Republican rival, President Joe Biden. Trump’s message echoed Biden’s plea for national unity following the incident. The 78-year-old former president expressed gratitude that Biden was unharmed after a bullet pierced the upper part of his right ear during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The assailant, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, opened fire from a nearby rooftop.
President Biden, 81, condemned the assassination attempt, stating that it goes against the principles of the nation and is not representative of American values. He urged for a thorough and swift independent review of the incident and cautioned against making assumptions about the gunman’s motives. Biden also assured that he had directed the US Secret Service to provide Trump with all necessary resources and to enhance security at the upcoming Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, which Trump is scheduled to attend.
Biden revealed that he had a brief but positive conversation with Trump following the attack. The president is set to deliver a formal address to the nation from the Oval Office later in the evening, emphasizing the need for unity in these challenging times.
During the rally, the Secret Service shot Crooks, a resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Former fire chief Corey Comperatore, a rally attendee, tragically lost his life, while two other individuals sustained critical injuries.
