16:59 Melania Trump also speaks out
After the attempted assassination on former US President Donald Trump, Melania Trump also expresses herself. The guard who was killed in the attack was a "Monster" who tried to extinguish "Donald's passion, his laughter, his inventiveness, his love for music, and his enthusiasm," explains the former First Lady of the USA at X. When she saw that a bullet had grazed her husband, she realized that her life and that of her son Barron were "on the verge of a devastating change." Melania Trump thanks the bodyguards of her husband.
16:26 "They are not behind me, they are behind you" - Trump Campaign starts fundraising appeal
In the opinion of Brad Bannon, a democratic strategist, the incident could be used by Trump. It fits the narrative of the former US President that the country is on the wrong track. "The attempted attack generates sympathy for Trump," says Bannon. "It also confirms the perception of his voters that something fundamental is wrong in this country." Trump's appearances at the four-day Republican nomination convention in Milwaukee, which begins on Monday, could be fueled by the attack. "If the country wasn't a powder keg before, it is now," says Chip Felkel, a republican political analyst who is not a Trump supporter. Hours after the incident, Trump's campaign starts a fundraising appeal via text message. "They are not behind me, they are behind you," reads the message to the voters.
16:08 Concerns before the convention: Republicans working with 40 security agencies
The chairman of the Republicans, Michael Whatley, assures that the agencies are working intensively to ensure security at the upcoming convention in Milwaukee. They are working with 40 different security agencies, as Whatley tells Fox News.
15:44 Top Advisors of Trump Team: "If something seems strange, please report it immediately"
Top advisors of Donald Trump's campaign team advise caution. "We are increasing armed security presence 24/7 with officers on site. Additional security checks are being conducted. Our top priority is to ensure the safety of all staff," quotes the "Washington Post" the Trump campaign advisors Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles from a joint memo. "We urge you to recognize the political polarization in this heated election. If something seems strange, please report it immediately to the leadership or the security team on site," it continues.
15:24 Witnesses describe chaotic scenes at Trump assassination attempt
During Trump's campaign speech in Pennsylvania, shots were fired, causing chaos and panic. Witnesses speak of speculation about fireworks, the sound of gunshots, guards on the roof, and the moment Trump fell to the ground.
14:58 Leading Republican: "We need to lower the rhetoric"The President of the US House of Representatives, the Republican Mike Johnson, is trying to calm things down. "We need to lower the rhetoric," he says on MSNBC. "We need to lower the temperature in this country."
14:30 Expert: "Trump assassination attempt is an opportunity for Biden"
14:03 Trump calls for reconciliation "It is more important than ever that we come together," writes Donald Trump on his platform "Truth Social." He is looking forward to speaking in Wisconsin "to our great country" this week. In Milwaukee in the US state of Wisconsin, the Republican nominating convention takes place from Monday to Thursday. Trump writes further, he is praying for the wounded and keeping the memory of the slain citizen "in our hearts." Trump had already called for unity in his inaugural speech as US President in January 2017.
12:58 NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg shocked by assassination attempt NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is shocked by the assassination attempt on Trump. "I am shocked by the attempted assassination of the former president Trump," Stoltenberg writes on X. He wishes him a speedy recovery and is in thoughts with the victims. Political violence has no place in democracies. The NATO allies stand together to defend freedom and values.
12:13 Video shows seconds between shooter's shots and Secret Service shots The American gossip news site TMZ shows a video in which it appears that both the shots of the assassin and the shots that likely saved Trump's life can be heard. The attack caused panic among the onlookers. The recording was made from outside the area where the rally took place, as TMZ reports.
11:40 Secret Service denies Republican accusation The Secret Service has denied the Republican accusation that they had refused additional security resources for Trump in the last months. "The claim that a member of the former president's security team requested additional security resources that were denied by the Secret Service or the Home Security Department is absolutely false," said Secret-Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. In fact, the Secret Service had recently increased security measures.
Few hours after the attack on Trump, Republican Representative Michael Waltz said he had "very reliable sources" who told him that there had been repeated requests for stronger intelligence service protection for President Trump. Waltz provided no evidence.
11:16 Steinmeier wishes Trump a speedy recovery Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier condemns the assassination attempt and expresses his condolences to the family of the victim's death: "I condemn the assassination attempt on the 45th US President, Donald J. Trump," writes Steinmeier in a statement. "Violence has no place in our democracy - not in America, not with us. We all can contribute: Let us respect violence in political disputes! Let us push back hatred and hate speech from election campaigns and debates! Democracy tolerates sharp controversies - but violence destroys democracy. Donald J. Trump and the injured I wish a speedy recovery. My deepest condolences go to the family of the victim of the attack."
10:32 Expert: "Trump produced that image directly, instinctively" Within seconds of the shots being fired, Donald Trump rises up, covered in blood, and raises his fist at Secret Service agents. Political scientist Thomas Jaeger sees the "master of political marketing" at work here. What is crucial now is whether Trump can continue to spin his "witch hunt" narrative.
10:10 Sharpshooter apparently noticed the assassin just before the first shots were fired A post on X shows a sharpshooter at the Trump rally, in the exact moment when the shots were fired. Sharpshooters are used at such events by the Secret Service to secure the area - which apparently did not go well in this case. The sharpshooter seems to be observing something or someone through his telescopic sight. He recoils, just before the shots can be heard, suggesting that he became aware of the shooter as a threat in that moment. Shortly thereafter, the assassiner was shot.
09:23 Participant warned of the assassin before the attack Participants at Trump's rally in Butler had noticed a man with a rifle on a roof near the venue before the shootings. One of them, Greg Smith, reportedly told on-site security personnel: "Hey man, there's a guy with a rifle on the roof", he later told the BBC. The response was: "Huh?", implying that the security forces did not know what was going on. "I thought: Why is Trump still speaking, why didn't they take him off the stage? ... The next thing, five shots were fired."
09:15 Scholz condemns the attack Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz commented on the attempted assassination of Trump on X: "The attack on US presidential candidate Donald Trump is despicable. I wish him a quick recovery. My thoughts are also with the people who were affected by the attack. Such acts of violence threaten democracy."
08:28 Photographer takes picture of possible projectile Doug Mills, a photographer for the "New York Times", apparently took a picture at the exact moment a bullet narrowly missed Trump. Michael Harrigan, a retired FBI agent, told the newspaper that the photo "could very well show the air displacement caused by a bullet". In general, it is possible to photograph a flying bullet, Harrigan added. Mills used a Sony digital camera at the Trump rally, which can take up to 30 pictures per second. The photo was taken with a shutter speed of 1/8000 seconds.
08:00 Alleged shooter registered as a Republican The FBI has identified the alleged shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks. The 20-year-old, who was killed during the attempted assassination, is from the small town of Bethel Park in the US state of Pennsylvania, an hour south of Butler, where the Trump rally took place. Crooks is registered as a Republican. According to reports he donated $15 to a Democratic donation organization on the day of Biden's inauguration in January 2021.
The "New York Post" notes that Crooks was 17 years old at the time of the donation. He registered as a Republican member in September 2021, when he turned 18.
07:46 Expert: "Secret Service must answer some questions" Donald Trump, as a former President and candidate, is under the protection of the Secret Service. At all campaign events, there are the highest security measures, as Obama's former campaign advisor Julius van de Laar reports. It now needs to be clarified how it was possible that a shooter was able to attack, despite these precautions.
07:38 World leaders shocked by attack on TrumpState and government heads worldwide react with shock to the attack on former President Trump. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen writes on X, expressing deep shock, wishing Trump a quick recovery, and expressing her condolences to the innocent victim's family. "Political violence has no place in a democracy," writes von der Leyen. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also expresses similar sentiments. "My thoughts are with former President Trump, the attendees, and all Americans."
The United Nations condemns the attack on Trump. "The Secretary-General strongly condemns this act of political violence in the strongest terms," explains the UN Secretary-General's spokesperson, António Guterres. "He wishes President Trump a swift recovery." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shares that he is "appalled" by the news of the attack. "Such violence has no justification and no place in the world. Never should violence prevail." Zelenskyy also wishes Trump a swift recovery.
On Saturday evening (local time), Biden stated that he was grateful that Trump was safe and doing well. In the US, "there is no place for this kind of violence."
07:21 Open questions to the Secret ServiceFBI Agent Kevin Rojek speaks at a press conference, finding it "surprising" that the protective detail could return fire. In response to a question about security measures, he states that such questions should be answered by the Secret Service. Although the name suggests otherwise, the Secret Service is not a secret service but is (among other things) responsible for the security of US presidents and former US presidents.
"They conduct the initial security assessments and determine where the various security locations should be," Rojek says. "And they are the ones responsible for securing the crime scene." A representative of the Secret Service is not present at the press conference. "Nobody was available," so Rojek.
07:04 Trump in New Jersey, apparently unharmedA Trump spokesperson posts a video showing Trump leaving an airport in New Jersey without assistance. His injured ear is not visible in the video. The Republicans have announced that the nominating convention will proceed as planned; the convention takes place from Monday to Thursday in Milwaukee. There, Trump will officially be nominated as the Republican presidential candidate. US President Biden stated that the Democrats would stop all campaign ads as soon as possible.
06:50 Shooter fired from a rooftop near the rallyAnthony Guglielmi, a Secret Service spokesperson, states that the suspect fired "multiple shots towards the stage" and was located "on an elevated position outside the event perimeter." This implies that a rooftop near the rally could be meant.
06:39 Shooter is reportedly a 20-year-old from PennsylvaniaThe person who shot Trump is a 20-year-old man from Pennsylvania, according to a source familiar with the investigation of the "Washington Post." Officially, the FBI states that they have not yet identified the shooter, but are "close" to doing so. The shooter is deceased. According to Pennsylvania police, it is too early to determine if it was a lone gunman. There is also no indication of "any further threat."
06:25 Media: Trump discharged from hospital late SaturdayAccording to a report by the news agency Bloomberg, Trump was discharged from the hospital late on a Saturday evening (local time).
06:01 FBI confirms attempted murder against ex-President Trump at rallyFollowing shootings at a campaign event in the US state of Pennsylvania, the FBI has classified the incident as an "attempted murder" against former President Donald Trump. "This is an attempted murder against our former president Donald Trump," FBI agent Kevin Rojek in Butler, the location of the rally, said. Trump was wounded in the ear by the gunshots, according to law enforcement reports. A bystander was killed and two others were seriously injured.
04:41 Biden phones Trump after attackUS President Joe Biden personally phoned the Republican. The White House confirmed the call without disclosing the contents. On Sunday, Biden was to be briefed by law enforcement agencies about the status of the investigation, it was further stated.
03:58 Republicans to hold convention despite Trump attackThe US Republicans plan to hold their nominating convention in Milwaukee this week as planned, despite the attack on their presidential candidate Donald Trump. The party and Trump's campaign team made this known in a joint statement. The Republicans are due to gather in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from Monday for their nominating convention to officially nominate the 78-year-old as their presidential candidate.
03:54 Shooter fired from elevated positionThe shooter opened fire on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump from an "elevated position" outside the event venue. One person was killed and two others were seriously injured, the Secret Service reported. Initially, there had been reports of a seriously injured person.
02:55 Trump: I was hit by a bullet in the earFormer US President Donald Trump, according to his own statements, was hit by a bullet in the ear during the attack at a campaign event in Pennsylvania. "I was hit by a bullet that went through the upper part of my right ear," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
00:33 Shots fired at Trump: Secret Service escorts ex-President from stageFormer US President Donald Trump was escorted from the stage by security personnel during a campaign event in Pennsylvania after gunshots were fired. In the images, Trump can be seen with a bloody ear and raised fist.
Sentence 1: In the context of the US Presidential Election 2024, Joe Biden might use the attempted assassination on his predecessor, Donald Trump, as an opportunity to highlight the importance of addressing political polarization and promoting unity.
Sentence 2: During the US Presidential Election 2024 campaign, Donald Trump might leverage the incident as a symbol of the perceived threat to his life and the need for strong security measures, emphasizing the need for voters to stand behind him and the Republican party.
