Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote that he and his wife, Sara, are “shocked by the apparent attack on President Trump” and are praying “for his safety and speedy recovery.”
Netanyahu released the statement two minutes before 2 a.m. on Sunday morning in Israel, which was 6:58 p.m. in Butler County, Pa., where former President Donald Trump was bloodied after being hit in the ear by a bullet at a political rally.
An attendee of the event and the shooter are dead, the county district attorney told the Associated Press.
U.S. President Joe Biden did not issue a statement for another hour, at 7:58 p.m., when he said that he had been briefed about the shooting.
“I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well,” Biden stated. “I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information.” (JNS received the emailed statement at 7:52 p.m.)
“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,” Biden added. “We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”
Some 15 minutes earlier, former President Barack Obama stated that “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,” Obama said. “Michelle and I are wishing him a quick recovery.”
At 8:13 p.m., Biden delivered two-minute remarks, in which he said, “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.” (Later in the night, the White House said that the president and the former president spoke.)
“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,” Biden said. “We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this.”
“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,” Biden added, per the official White House transcript.
The president was asked if he thought it was an assassination attempt. “I don’t know enough to—I—I have—I have a—I have an opinion, but I don’t have any facts,” Biden said. “So, I want to make sure we have all the facts before I make some comment—any more comments.”
Lloyd Austin, the U.S. defense secretary, stated later in the evening that “the entire Department of Defense condemns this violence, which has absolutely no place in our democracy.”
“This is not the way that we resolve our differences in America—and it must never be,” Austin said. “I’m relieved that reports indicate former President Trump is safe, and I am praying for him and his family and everyone affected by this appalling incident.”
