Joe Biden

Remarks on the Shooting at Former President Donald J. Trump's Campaign Rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and an Exchange With Reporters From Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

July 13, 2024

The President. Thanks for coming, folks. I've been thoroughly briefed by all the agencies in the Federal Government as to the situation, based on what we know now.

I have tried to get a hold of Donald. He's with his doctors. They—apparently, he's doing well. I plan on talking to him shortly, I hope, when I get back to the telephone.

Look, there is no place in America for this kind of violence. It's sick. It's sick. It's one of the reasons why we have to unite this country. We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this.

And so—and I want to thank the Secret Service and all the agencies, including the State agencies, that have been engaged in making sure that the people who—and we have more detail to come relative to the other injured—other people who may be injured in the audience. I don't have all that detail; we'll make that available to you.

I may be able to come back a little later tonight. But we'll put out a statement if we don't—if I am not able to give—if we—if it's not convenient for you all.

But the bottom line is that the Trump rally was a rally that he should have been able—can—be conducted peacefully without any problem. But the idea—the idea—that there's political violence or violence in America like this is just unheard of. It was just not appropriate. And we—everybody—everybody must condemn it. Everybody.

I'll keep you informed. And if I am able to speak to the—to Donald, I'll let you know that as well. But so far, it appears he's doing well. Number one.

Number two, that they're as thoroughly investigating what happened to anyone else in the audience. I have some—we have some reports, but not final reports.

And every agency in the Federal Government, and I'll be—and I'm going back to my phone to speak with the Federal agencies that are being put together again to give me an updated briefing—has anything happened, have they learned anymore in the last couple hours.

So thank you very much. And I hope I get to speak to him tonight. And I'll get to—back to you if I do. Okay?

Q. Mr. President, do you think this was an assassination attempt?

The President. I don't know enough to—I have a—I have an opinion, but I don't have any facts. So I want to make sure we have all the facts before I make some comment—any more comments.

Thank you.

Q. Are you worried about your own safety?

Q. Mr. President——

Q. Was this a security failing, Mr. President?

NOTE: The President spoke at 8:13 p.m. at the Rehoboth Beach Police Department.

Joseph R. Biden, Remarks on the Shooting at Former President Donald J. Trump's Campaign Rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and an Exchange With Reporters From Rehoboth Beach, Delaware Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/373496

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