President Joe Biden called for unity after former President Donald Trump was shot at during a campaign rally Saturday in Western Pennsylvania.
“I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well,” Biden said. “I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information.”
The statement, released more than 90 minutes after the incident, continued: “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.”
At least one attendee and the suspected gunman are dead, according to The Associated Press.
Biden’s campaign will be “pausing all outbound communications” and is “working to pull down our television ads as quickly as possible,” a campaign official said.
Biden, who has decried political violence and ran on a message to “restore the soul of the nation,” now must face an election when his Republican opponent was shot at during a campaign rally.
Several prominent Democrats came out to denounce political violence, including former President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who posted statements on X within an hour of the incident.
