Jul 14, 2024,09:14am EDT
Former President Donald Trump on Sunday morning urged his supporters to remain “strong and determined” and suggested he still plans to speak at the Republican National Convention this week after an assassination attempt at his campaign rally in Pennsylvania wounded him, left one attendee dead, and critically injured two others.
Key Facts:
In a post on Truth Social, Trump called for unity and said he looked forward to “speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin,” where thousands of Republicans are planning to gather for their party’s convention starting Monday to formally nominate Trump and his yet-to-be-announced running mate as the Republican presidential ticket.
Trump senior advisers sent a memo to staff shortly after the shooting indicating the convention will continue as planned with the exception of new security measures implemented for staff, Politico reported.
The post from Trump on Sunday morning was one of two he’s made since authorities said Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, opened fire from outside Trump’s Saturday campaign rally.
Trump said he was “shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear” and thanked the “rapid response” of the Secret Service and local law enforcement.
The rally attendee who was killed has not been identified, nor have the two people who were seriously injured.
Crucial Quote:
“We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness,” Trump posted to Truth Social on Sunday. “In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win.”
Key Background:
Gunshots interrupted Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, shortly after it began on Saturday. In video footage from the event, several popping sounds are heard before Trump dives below the podium on stage as Secret Service agents rush to shield him. Trump then stood up, surrounded by agents, with the right side of his face covered in blood. He pumped his fist into the air several times while being escorted off stage. A Secret Service spokesperson tweeted shortly afterward that Trump was safe and being medically evaluated, later adding that one person was killed and two more were injured. The shooter, identified by authorities as Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed by the Secret Service, according to the Associated Press, and an AR-style rifle was recovered at the scene. The shooter was positioned on a building several hundred yards away from the rally, local District Attorney Richard Goldinger told CNN. President Joe Biden said in a statement he is “grateful” to hear Trump was safe and emphasized that “there is no place for this kind of violence in America.” Former President Barack Obama expressed relief that Trump wasn’t seriously hurt and called for a recommitment to civility and respect in politics. Gabby Giffords, a former U.S. Representative who nearly died in a 2012 assassination attempt, stated that “political violence is un-American and is never acceptable.”
What to Watch For:
Trump is expected to formally accept the Republican nomination Thursday night. His campaign announced on Saturday that several other speakers, including former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Donald Trump Jr., South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, and vice presidential contenders Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, will also address the convention.
Tangent:
Several Trump supporters appeared to blame the Biden campaign for the shooting. Sen. J.D. Vance tweeted, “The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.” Chris LaCivita, a Trump campaign adviser, posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), “Well of course they tried to keep him off the ballot, they tried to put him in jail, and now you see this…,” according to the Associated Press. The post has since been deleted. Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.) tweeted, “Joe Biden sent the orders.”