Trump Shot At Campaign Rally

Former President Donald Trump was shot in the ear after a gunman opened fire at one of his rallies in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday evening. The Secret Service said that two people — the suspected shooter, and a rally attendee — are dead, and two are critically injured. Trump, it said, is safe.

The suspected shooter “fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue,” the Secret Service said in a statement. Trump rallies feature security and bag checks.

Agents “neutralized the shooter, who is now deceased,” the statement said.

The Trump campaign described the former president as “fine” following the incident. “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear,” Trump later said in a post on Truth Social.

President Joe Biden spoke from Delaware shortly after the shooting, condemning political violence. “We cannot allow for this to be happening. We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this,” he said.

Shortly after 6 p.m. ET, cameras filming the event captured shots ringing out before Trump, who had just started speaking, reached for his ear and dove to the ground behind his lectern. Secret Service agents swarmed over Trump as the sound of shots continued. Trump stood up after the incident and had blood visible on his face. He stopped to pump his fist for the crowd before being taken away. 

“Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait!” Trump told the Secret Service guards who surrounded him. As the former president pumped his fist, he appeared to mouth the words, “Fight! Fight! Fight!”

The FBI said in a late Saturday press conference that it was investigating the incident as an assassination attempt.

The Trump campaign issued a statement soon after the incident, describing the former president as fine. 

“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement following the incident. “He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow.”

The Butler Farm Show, a local venue where the event was held, was quickly evacuated, per multiple reports. The FBI said it would take the lead role in investigating the shooting.

The former president, who is in a tight race against his successor, Biden, is preparing for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin next week. 

Biden was at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware and had no public events scheduled on Saturday. He left a church service there shortly after the shooting. At about 8 p.m. ET, the White House announced the president would be making remarks. Soon after, Biden spoke to the press pool at the Rehoboth Beach Police Department. 

“I’ve been thoroughly briefed by all the agencies in the federal government,” he said. 

“I have tried to get ahold of Donald,” he continued. “He is with his doctors. Apparently, he’s doing well. I plan on talking to him shortly, I hope.”

The president then denounced political violence.

“Look, there’s no place in America for this kind of violence,” he said. “It’s sick. It’s sick. It’s one of the reasons we have to unite this country.”

The White House said later in the evening that Biden and Trump had spoken. A Biden campaign official announced his team would be “pausing all outbound communications and working to pull down our television ads as quickly as possible.”

Trump’s re-election bid has been marked by stridently militant rhetoric. Shortly before he took the stage in Butler, Trump sent out a fundraising email to supporters referencing the rally and suggesting he might use the event to debut his running mate.

“ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE IN ONE HOUR!” Trump wrote. “When I take the rally stage, I could be making a MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT that’s sure to strike FEAR into the hearts of our DEEP STATE ENEMIES.”