US Election - Biden warns against violence in US campaign after Trump attack
US-President Joe Biden warned against violence in the US presidential campaign after an attack on his predecessor and rival Donald Trump. "We settle our differences at the ballot box. That's how it's done - at the ballot box, not with bullets," Biden said in a rare address to the nation from the Oval Office in the White House.
The political debate in the country has become very heated. "It's time to cool it down," Biden urged. "We all have the responsibility to do so." Violence is not a solution, Biden emphasized. "We are not enemies."
An evening address from the President's office in the government center, which is broadcast live on television, is usually reserved for crisis moments and major upheavals in the country. That is what the United States is dealing with following the violent act against presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Biden emphasized in his speech: "I will continue to vigorously defend our democracy, uphold our Constitution and the rule of law, and call for peaceful action at the ballot box." This is how democracy should function, he urged. "We stand for an America not of extremism and anger, but of decency and kindness."
Biden urged
Biden urged: "Here in America, we must come out of our silos where we only listen to those with whom we agree." He warned against misinformation and "foreign actors who fan the flames of our division to influence election results that serve their interests, not ours."
The 81-year-old also mentioned the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Trump supporters had violently stormed the Capitol building in Washington, where Congress had gathered to formally certify Biden's victory in the presidential election of 2020. Trump had previously incited his supporters at a rally with unsubstantiated claims that the election result had been stolen from him through massive fraud.
Attack on Trump
A man shot at Trump during a campaign rally in the state of Pennsylvania on Saturday and wounded him in the ear. The suspect, according to the FBI, is a 20-year-old man from the region. He was killed by security forces. A motive has not been determined by investigators. The young man killed a firefighter and family man who was attending the event as a spectator. Two other participants were seriously injured.
Biden condemned the attack shortly after it occurred. Worldwide, there is widespread horror and fears of a political violence spiral in the US in the midst of the campaign.
Trump to challenge Biden in presidential election
Trump plans to challenge Biden in the presidential election on November 5. Many high-ranking representatives of both parties in the US have condemned the attack.
Security at Republican convention
The question arises whether the event and Trump were sufficiently protected following the attack. Biden had announced an independent investigation into the matter to clarify what exactly happened.
Amid the impact of the attack, the Republican nomination convention is set to begin on Monday. The Secret Service has not yet announced plans to increase security measures. During the week, Trump is expected to be officially nominated as the Republican Party's presidential candidate. Trump is making efforts to avoid giving the impression of weakness following the attack: He traveled to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Sunday for the party convention.
The political atmosphere in the United States has been heated for years. The US Department of Justice lamented at the beginning of the year an "alarmingly increasing number of threats" against public officials and democratic institutions in the country.
- Joe Biden exhorted Americans to engage in peaceful discourse during the US election campaign, emphasizing that violence is not a solution.
- In his intervention from the Oval Office, President Biden reiterated his commitment to defending democracy, upholding the Constitution, and promoting peaceful action at the ballot box.
- The attack on Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania has raised concerns about security measures and political violence in the US, leading Biden to announce an independent investigation.
- Trump has announced his intention to challenge Biden in the presidential election on November 5, but many party representatives have condemned the violence at the rally.
- The Secret Service has not yet announced any plans to increase security measures for the Republican convention, despite concerns following the attack on Trump.
- Democracy itself is under threat, as the Department of Justice has reported an alarmingly increasing number of threats against public officials and democratic institutions in the United States.
- The political climate in the US has been tense, with misinformation and foreign actors suspected of fanning the flames of division to influence election results.
- Amidst this heightened tension, the US election campaign has become a battleground for ideologies, with both Biden and Trump vying for the title of US-President in the 2024 presidential election, but not without the risk of criminal acts and assassination attempts.
