Political Leaders Condemn Trump Rally Shooting, Call For Civility

'There is no place for this type of violence in America,' said President Joe Biden.

After the assassination attempt on presumptive Republican Party nominee, Donald Trump, at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, political leaders swiftly condemned the act and urged for civility in politics. Despite some questioning on social media about the nature of the incident, the shooting has raised significant concerns about security.

According to The Grio, President Joe Biden spoke to Trump over the phone on July 13, and issued a statement calling for the condemnation of the shooting. “There is no place for this type of violence in America,” Biden said, before adding he was “grateful” that Trump, who looked to be have been injured on his ear, “is safe and doing well.” Biden followed up by saying “Everybody must condemn it.”

Vice President Kamala Harris struck a similar tone in her own statement, and called for everyone to ensure that violence does not beget more violence. “Violence such as this has no place in our nation. We must all condemn this abhorrent act and do our part to ensure that it does not lead to more violence,” she said in a statement.

Independent presidential candidate Cornel West, who was in Las Vegas for the Freedom Fest, told The Grio that his Christian faith compelled him to pray for Trump, and called to renounce violence against not only Trump, but oppressed peoples and religious groups.

“I am a Christian. I am praying for the brother and his family. All of us need to renounce language and acts of violence, especially against Black people, especially against Palestinians, especially against Muslims, Jews and anybody else,” West said.

According to The Grio, the shooting has prompted security concerns concerning both major party candidates. A former high-ranking Secret Service official told the outlet that security at the White House would “absolutely” be “enhanced” following the shooting. A former Secret Service agent, meanwhile, told the outlet that they believed someone would be fired in the aftermath.

“The question [is] how did a gun get in that close to a protectee?” They added, “Someone will be fired!”

According to The New York Times, the FBI is investigating the shooting carried out by a 20-year-old man named Thomas Crooks. Investigators are trying to ascertain whether or not Crooks was a lone wolf, what his motivations were, and how he came into possession of a semi-automatic rifle and materials for multiple explosive devices.

This is a moment where all of us have a responsibility to take down the temperature, rise above the hateful rhetoric that exists, and search for a better, brighter future for this nation.

I ask that you join Lori and me in prayer for the two Pennsylvanians still in critical… pic.twitter.com/XjYP5QstId
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) July 14, 2024

A firefighter and a father of two, Corey Comperatore was shot and killed at the event, as was Crooks, the gunman. At a news conference, Gov. Josh Shapiro, the Governor of Pennsylvania called the shooting unacceptable. “The assassination attempt on the former president, Donald Trump, last night was absolutely unacceptable and tragic.” At the news conference, Shapiro also called for leaders to speak and act with moral clarity.

“This is a moment where all leaders have a responsibility to speak, and act, with moral clarity,” before adding that leaders should “rise above the hateful rhetoric that exists.” He added his prayers for those who were injured, which included Trump, and the family of Comperatore. “We need to make sure that Corey’s memory is forever a blessing,” Shapiro said.