(RepublicanPress.org) – On July 13, the world stood still for a collective moment as media outlets reported that shots rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show Grounds in Pennsylvania. Former President Donald Trump only received a minor injury during the alleged assassination attempt, but one attendee was killed and two others seriously injured. Governor Josh Shapiro (D) quickly spoke out against political violence, and similar sentiment echoed across the country from notable figures on both sides of the aisle.
Shapiro posted a brief statement on his X, formerly Twitter, page shortly after the incident. He said violence targeting any political leader or party was “absolutely unacceptable,” adding that it had “no place in Pennsylvania” or the US.
The governor echoed that sentiment while talking to reporters the day after the shooting. He told them that everyone had a “responsibility” to “rise above” the hateful political rhetoric, take down the national temperature, and seek a “better, brighter future” for the nation.
Other political leaders on both sides of the aisle spoke out against political violence. For instance, President Joe Biden addressed the nation about the incident on the evening of July 14. He said there was “no place in America for […] violence ever. Period. No exceptions.”
Biden also warned his fellow Americans that “the political rhetoric […] had gotten very heated, and told his audience that “it’s time to cool it down.”
Former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton issued similar statements calling for an end to political violence. Likewise, the Carter Center, former President Jimmy Carter’s organization, posted a statement on social media stressing that “Americans should be able to gather peaceably without fear of violence.” The center also urged everyone to “embrace civility in our democratic processes.”
Outgoing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) posted a statement saying Americans were gratful that Trump appeared to be fine after a “despicable attack on a peaceful rally.” Like the others, he noted that “violence has no place” in the nation’s political arena.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) sat down for a short interview with CNN host Anderson Cooper to discuss the shooting. He said the country was going through a “dark time” and reminded viewers that political leaders had been suggesting that “all elected officials” needed to work to bring the country back together. “We need a unified message,” he said.
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