Kentucky Republicans, Gov. Beshear: Violence has no place in our country
Kentucky Republicans and Gov. Andy Beshear offered and asked for prayers for former President Donald Trump Saturday, after he was whisked off stage following a failed assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally.
“Tonight, all Americans are grateful that President Trump appears to be fine after a despicable attack on a peaceful rally,” Sen. Mitch McConnell said in a post on X.com, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “Violence has no place in our politics. We appreciate the swift work of the Secret Service and other law enforcement.”
Sen. Rand Paul added, “Please keep Trump and everyone at the rally in your thoughts and prayers right now.”
Beshear, a Democrat and rumored to be a potential vice-president candidate should President Biden decide to leave the presidential campaign, said “Britainy and I are praying for the safety and health of the former president. Violence is never the answer. Never.”
Federal officials said the incident is being investigated as a failed assassination attempt.
Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams echoed Beshear’s sentiment, saying in a social media post, “May God protect the former President and all at this rally. Political violence, from the right or left, is never the answer.
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said he is “praying for President Trump, his family and the top-tier professionals of the U.S. Secret Service. No matter your beliefs, political violence has no place in our country.”
U.S. Rep. James Comer also asked for prayers, saying in a post on X, “Please pray for President Trump, those at the rally and our nation.”
“Please join me in praying for @realDonaldTrump & all who were impacted by the cowardly attack at the rally in PA.,” U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers said in a post on X. “I am grateful to know that President Trump was protected by the quick action of the Secret Service. Let us unite against all political violence & pray for peace.”
“Praying for Trump and others who might have been shot,” U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie said in a post in which he shared a photo of a bloody-faced Trump with an upraised fist.
“My thoughts and prayers are with former President Trump and all those affected,” U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey, a Louisville Democrat, said. “What happened at the Trump rally today is horrible and unacceptable. I’m grateful to law enforcement for their immediate response. America is a Democracy. Political violence is never acceptable.”
“I am praying for President Trump and our nation following the terrible events this afternoon,” Rep. Brett Guthrie said in a post.
“Please join us in praying for President Trump and anyone who was hurt by this cowardly act of violence,” the Republican Party of Kentucky posted on X.
Blood could be seen on the side of Trump’s face as he was being ushered away by Secret Service agents.
A Trump campaign spokesman said the former president “is fine.”
In a statement about two hours after the incident, Trump said he “was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening.”
The former president shared that post on his social media site Truth Social Saturday night.
“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act. He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility,” Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement. “More details will follow.”
A shooter was dead, as well as at least one bystander in what is being investigated as a possible assassination attempt, ABC News reported. A second attendee is said to be in serious condition.
Trump expressed “condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured.”
Trump was speaking at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when loud pops or explosions could be heard, and Trump went to the ground.
Screams could be heard from the crowd as security personnel covered the former president before helping him to his feet and rushing him off the stage, video of the incident shared by CNN shows.
President Joe Biden was briefed in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on the shooting, the White House told CNN.
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Homeland Security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall are part of the team briefing the president.
“I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information,” President Joe Biden issued a statement posted on X. “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.”
The Carter Center, founded at Atlanta’s Emory University by former President Jimmy Carter and the late Rosalynn Carter, issued a statement condemning the violence.
“While we don’t know all the facts, we do know that all Americans should be able to gather peaceably without fear of violence,” the statement read. “Our thoughts are with President Trump and all those affected by this horrific act., and we call on all Americans to embrace civility in our democratic processes.”
This story was originally published July 13, 2024 at 6:44 PM with the headline "Kentucky Republicans, Gov. Beshear: Violence has no place in our country."
