Biden says politics must never be 'a literal battlefield' or 'killing field' in post-Trump shooting address
President Biden addressed the nation from the Oval Office Sunday night, saying the attempted assassination of former President Trump forces Americans to "take a step back" and "lower the temperature in our politics."
"My fellow Americans, I want to speak to you tonight about the need for us to lower the temperature in our politics," he said. "Do remember, while we may disagree, we are not enemies. We’re neighbors, we’re friends, coworkers, citizens, and most importantly, we are fellow Americans. We must stand together."
Biden said the attempted assassination of former President Trump "calls on all of us to take a step back, take stock of where we are."
He added: "Politics must never be a literal battlefield," Biden said, "God forbid—a killing field."
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Former President Trump was hit as multiple shots were fired towards the stage from an elevated position near the outdoor venue where he was holding a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday. The bullet pierced the upper part of his right ear before the former president was rushed from the stage by Secret Service agents.
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The would-be assassin was identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. Crooks was killed by a Secret Service sniper soon after he opened fire.
But Crooks killed one spectator – Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief in Buffalo Township, Pa. Comperatore was fatally shot as he shielded his wife and daughters from the bullets.
Authorities say two other people were critically injured in the attack.
The FBI is investigating the shooting as an assassination attempt.
Biden spoke earlier on Sunday and said he talked with Trump on Saturday night. Biden said he is "sincerely grateful that he's doing well and recovering. We had a short but good conversation."
Biden, during the remarks from the Roosevelt Room at the White House, vowed to ensure the U.S. Secret Service provides him with "every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure his continued safety."
LIVE UPDATES ON DEADLY SHOOTING AT TRUMP RALLY
Biden also said he has "directed the head of the Secret Service to review all security measures for all security measures for the Republican National Convention, which is scheduled to start tomorrow."
Biden said he is "directing an independent review of the security at yesterday's rally to assess exactly what happened, and we'll share the results of that independent review with the American people as well."
The Biden campaign on Saturday night announced it would be pausing all outbound communications and pulling down their campaign ads targeting Trump. The campaign was in the middle of a $50 million ad blitz this month, with spots running in all the key battleground states.