The world and country were left in shock on Saturday night after a failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump sparked chaos at his rally in Pennsylvania. Now, former United States presidents are speaking out against the violence.
Former Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama have all condemned the violence that took place on Saturday night.
The attack injured former President Trump, killed at least one suspect, and left two critically injured. The shooter was also “neutralized” by Secret Service members at the event.
Former President Bush called the shooting a “cowardly attack” and shared that he and his wife, former First Lady Laura Bush, were “grateful that President Trump is safe following the cowardly attack on his life.” Bush went on to praise the Secret Service for their “speedy response” in protecting Trump.
In a post to social media, former President Obama said, “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.”
He went on to say that “there is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy.” Like Bush, Obama went on to say that he and former First Lady Michelle Obama were hoping Trump has a “quick recovery.”
Former President Clinton shared a similar sentiment on social media, writing in a post that “Violence has no place in America, especially in our political process.”
“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,” he wrote.
President Joe Biden spoke about the shooting on Saturday night in a press briefing, saying that he was “grateful to hear” that Trump had been taken to safety and was “doing well.”
“I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information,” Biden said in the statement. “Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”
Like his presidential predecessors, Biden said that “everybody must condemn” this shooting.