WASHINGTON (AP) — Shock and relief were expressed by Republican and Democratic leaders, as well as international friends and foes, after what appeared to be an assassination attempt at a Donald Trump campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday night. Lawmakers from both parties pledged hearings and a thorough investigation into the attack.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., stated that there would be hearings to look into the incident. “We will summon Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and other relevant officials from the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI to appear before our committees as soon as possible,” Johnson mentioned.
House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., also raised questions that needed answers. “I have reached out to the Secret Service for a briefing and am calling on Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to testify at a hearing. The Oversight Committee will extend a formal invitation shortly,” Comer added.
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Senator Josh Hawley, R-Mo., hinted at the Senate conducting similar hearings. “It’s truly amazing that Donald Trump survived. Let’s call this what it was – an assassination attempt resulting in at least one innocent bystander being killed. The country needs to know who was behind this and the reasons. Congress should conduct a detailed, public investigation into the incident,” Hawley shared.
Notable figures, including former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, commended the quick response of the Secret Service and were thankful that the presumptive Republican presidential nominee seemed unharmed.
“Having experienced political violence in my family, I can attest that any form of political violence is unacceptable in our society. I am grateful that former President Trump is safe,” former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi affirmed. “As we gather more information about this tragic incident, let us hope that all those attending the former President’s rally today are safe.”
Pelosi’s husband was assaulted with a hammer in 2022 by an intruder in their home.
Donald Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., disclosed that his father was in good spirits when they spoke on the phone. “He will continue his fight to protect America, regardless of the challenges posed by the radical left,” Trump Jr. stated.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed shock : “Sara and I were startled by the apparent attack on President Trump. We pray for his safety and swift recovery.”
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who has had a contentious relationship with Trump, conveyed his best wishes for Trump’s rapid recovery during a campaign event broadcast on state television. “May God bless the people of the United States and grant them peace and serenity. Although we have been adversaries, I wish President Trump good health and a long life, and I denounce that attack,” Maduro stated.
Obama, Trump’s immediate predecessor, echoed the sentiments of fellow former presidents, noting on social media: “Political violence has no place in our democracy. While the details are still unclear, we can all be relieved that former President Trump was not seriously injured, and this moment should remind us to recommit to civility and respect in our politics. Michelle and I wish him a swift recovery.”
President Joe Biden commented: “This type of violence has no place in America. It’s despicable.”
Bush commended the prompt response of the Secret Service to the violence. “Laura and I are relieved that President Trump is safe after the cowardly attack on his life,” Bush’s statement on X read.
The outpouring of concern and relief was coupled with allegations blaming Biden for the incident and a call for halting the criminal cases against Trump.
In May, Trump was convicted in New York on 34 counts related to unlawfully influencing the 2016 election through a payment to silence a pornographic actress who alleged a sexual encounter with him. He is currently facing trials in federal courts in Washington, D.C., and Georgia for accusations of orchestrating election interference, as well as a federal case in Florida for mishandling classified documents at his Florida property.
Senator Mike Lee of Utah urged “President Biden to immediately drop all federal criminal charges against President Trump, and to request the governors of New York and Georgia to do the same” on X.
Georgia Republican House member, Rep. Mike Collins, laid the blame on Biden, asserting, “The Republican District Attorney in Butler County, PA, should promptly press charges against Joseph R. Biden for inciting an assassination.” Collins, a freshman member of Congress from a district in eastern Atlanta, has a history of making provocative comments on social media.
Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, who has been rumored as a potential vice presidential contender for Trump, stated on X that the violence was “not an isolated event. The core message of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. This rhetoric directly led to the attempted assassination of President Trump.”
Contributions to this report were made by Associated Press writers Bill Barrow, Nicholas Riccardi, Hannah Schoenbaum, Stefanie Dazio, Jeff Amy, Jill Colvin, Yuri Kateyama, Farnoush Amiri, and Jorge Rueda.
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