In the aftermath of an assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, a trio of former US leaders issued statements expressing relief that Trump escaped harm. The first to weigh in were Barack Obama and George W. Bush, who released their statements on Saturday evening.
Bush’s statement praised the Secret Service for their swift response, saying, “Laura and I are grateful that President Trump is safe following the cowardly attack on his life.”
Obama, meanwhile, emphasized the importance of civility in politics, writing, “There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy. Although we don’t yet know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics.”
It wasn’t until over an hour after the incident that sitting President Joe Biden issued a statement. Biden expressed gratitude that Trump was safe and doing well, and condemned the violence, saying, “There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite and condemn it.” He also praised the Secret Service for their efforts to get Trump to safety.
Later, former President Bill Clinton weighed in, echoing the sentiments of his predecessors. “Violence has no place in America, especially in our political process,” he said. “Hillary and I are thankful that President Trump is safe, heartbroken for all those affected by the attack at today’s rally in Pennsylvania, and grateful for the swift action of the U.S. Secret Service.”
Video footage from the rally showed a series of pops, followed by Trump touching the side of his face and then falling to the ground. As Secret Service agents surrounded him, Trump stood up and pumped his fist, with blood visible on the side of his face.
