President Joe Biden speaks after Butler, Pennsylvania campaign rally shooting
Jul 14, 2024, 1:59 PM | Updated: 2:12 pm
President Joe Biden addressed the country on Sunday, July 14 about heightened security measures following the shooting at the PA Trump rally. (President Biden via X)
(President Biden via X)
SALT LAKE CITY — President Joe Biden addressed the nation during a press conference on Sunday at the White House. The president spoke about the shooting that occurred at former President Donald Trump’s campaign rally on Saturday.
“There’s no place in America for this kind of violence or any for that matter. An assassination attempt is contrary to everything we stand for as a nation,” Biden said. “It’s not who we are as a nation, it’s not America. And we cannot allow this to happen.”
President Biden said he and Vice President Kamala Harris have been briefed on the shooting that occurred in Butler, Pennsylvania. He also stated that he spoke to Trump about the shooting.
“I’m sincerely grateful that he is doing well and recovering,” Biden said. “We had a short but good conversation.”
Biden added that he and first lady Jill Biden are keeping the former president and his family in their prayers.
“We also extend our deepest condolences to the family of the victim who was killed,” Biden said. “He was a father. He was protecting his family from the bullets that were being fired. And he lost his life.”
The president said he and his wife are also praying for the victims who were injured in the shooting.
Biden stated that there is not yet any information on the gunman’s motive and asked that people don’t make assumptions about the shooter.
What happens now?
The president stated three different things that will happen from this time forward.
- Biden stated that Trump has and will continue to receive the necessary heightened security after the shooting occurred. He said this is due to Trump being a former president and a presidential nominee for the Republican party.
“I have been consistent in my directions with the secret service to provide him with every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure his continued safety,” Biden said.
- Biden said he has directed the head of the United States Secret Service to review the security measures put into place for the Republican National Convention. The RNC is still set to start on Monday, according to Biden.
- Lastly, Biden said he has directed an independent review of the national security at the Butler, Pennsylvania campaign rally. He then stated that the review would be shared with the people of the United States of America.
The president said he will be speaking about the shooting “in greater length” on Sunday night in the Oval Office.
Related:
Name of man killed in Butler, Pennsylvania campaign rally released
FBI identifies gunman involved in apparent assassination attempt of former President Trump
