President Joe Biden addressed the nation after former President Donald Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt during a rally on Saturday.
The former president was shot at while speaking in Butler, Pennsylvania. After several shots were heard, Trump dropped to the floor of the stage as Secret Service rushed to protect him. More shots were heard before Secret Service helped Trump to his feet. It was later confirmed Trump was hit in the ear by the gunman.
Trump then held his fist in the air as he was escorted offstage by Secret Service.
On Sunday, Biden spoke from the Oval Office calling for the need to "lower the temperature" in the nation's politics. The president noted while political differences may persist, the populace of the nation must come together as fellow Americans.
"Yesterday's shooting at Donald Trump's rally in Pennsylvania calls on all of us to take a step back," Biden said. "Take stock of where we are [and] how we go forward from here."
"Thankfully, former Trump [sic] is not seriously injured. I spoke with him last night. I'm grateful he's doing well, and Jill and I keep him and his family in our prayers," Biden added.
The president also extended his condolences to fellow victims of the shooting, including one man who was fatally wounded by the gunman.
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"We do not know the motive of the shooter yet," Biden continued. "We don't know his opinions or affiliations. We don't know whether he had help, or support, or if he communicated with anyone else."
Law enforcement is currently investigating the attempted assassination of Trump.
"A former president was shot. An American citizen killed while simply exercising his freedom to support the candidate of his choosing," Biden said. "We cannot, we must not go down this road in America."
Biden then referenced prior assassination attempts on presidents, asserting that "violence has never been the answer."
"There is no place in America for this kind of violence. For any violence, ever. Period. No exceptions," he said. "We can't allow this violence to be normalized."
Biden noted an increase of political rhetoric in America and called for a cool down.
"Disagreement is inevitable in American Democracy. It's part of human nature," Biden continued. "[But] politics must never be a little battlefield, God forbid a killing field."
Biden called on Americans to stand for "decency and grace" rather than "extremism and fury."
The president also noted Monday's commencement of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
"I have no doubt they'll criticize my record and offer their own vision for this country," Biden said, adding he would be traveling to argue his own vision for the nation. "I'll continue to speak out strongly for our democracy, stand up for our Constitution, [and] rule of law."
Biden then called on Americans to resolve their differences at the "battle box" before repeating himself and adding, "Not with bullets."
"Tonight, I'm asking every American to commit to make America ... think about it, what's made America so special?" Biden asked. "Here in America, everyone must be treated with dignity and respect, and hate must have no safe harbor. Here in America, we need to get out of our silos, where we only listen to those with who we agree, where misinformation is rampant, where foreign actors fan the flames of our division to shape the outcomes consistent with their interests — not ours."
Biden concluded his remarks by lauding American democracy.
On Sunday morning, Trump called for unity and offered prayers for victims of the Saturday shooting.
“Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening,” he wrote. “We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness.”
“Our love goes out to the other victims and their families,” Trump continued. “We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed.”
