President Joe Biden has responded to the recent shooting at former President Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania.
In a short tweet on Sunday, Biden expressed relief for Trump’s safety and condemned the act of violence.
“I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania,” Biden tweeted. “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.”
The incident, which took place on Saturday, saw Trump narrowly escape an assassination attempt while addressing supporters. Dressed in a white shirt, dark blazer, and his signature red MAGA cap, Trump was speaking against illegal immigration when shots were fired at 6:08 pm (2208 GMT).
“Take a look at what happened….” Trump said, his words abruptly interrupted by a series of gunshots.
Trump instinctively grabbed his right ear as shouts of “Get down!” echoed through the venue.
The former president crouched behind the lectern while Secret Service agents rapidly encircled him. Within seconds, additional shots were heard, causing panic among the crowd.
The Secret Service acted swiftly, with agents moving Trump to safety within 22 seconds of the first shot. In total, six shots were fired, with the final one followed by a woman’s scream.
Three heavily armed security members secured the stage and declared it clear before lifting a visibly shaken Trump.
By 8:42 pm, Trump shared his experience on Truth Social, revealing he had been grazed by a bullet.
“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear,” he wrote. “I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin.”
The FBI identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.
Crooks, who fired multiple shots from an elevated position outside the rally, was neutralized by Secret Service agents.
President Biden acknowledged the quick actions of the Secret Service in his statement: “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.”
