Leading Republican: 'We need to tone down the rhetoric'
The President of the US House of Representatives, Republican Mike Johnson, is working to calm tempers. "We need to tone down the rhetoric," he says on MSNBC. "We need to lower the temperature in this country."
14:30 Expert: "Trump Attack is Opportunity for Biden"
14:03 Trump Calls for UnityDonald Trump writes on his Truth Social platform, "It's more important than ever that we come together." Trump is looking forward to speaking in Wisconsin this week "to our great country." In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Republican nomination convention takes place from Monday to Thursday. Trump continues, "I hold the memories of the wounded in our hearts." He called for unity in his inauguration speech as US President in January 2017.
12:58 NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg Shocked by AttemptNATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is shocked over the attack on Trump. "I am shocked by the attempted assassination of former President Trump," he writes on X. He wishes Trump a speedy recovery and is thinking of the victims. Political violence has no place in democracies. The NATO allies are standing together to defend freedom and values.
12:13 Video Shows Moments Between Shots of Attacker and Secret ServiceThe American gossip news site TMZ shows a video in which it appears that both the shots of the attacker and the shots that likely saved Trump's life can be heard. The attack caused panic among onlookers. The recording was made from outside the area where the rally was taking place, according to TMZ.
11:40 Secret Service Dismisses Republican ClaimThe Secret Service has denied the claim that they refused to provide additional security resources to Trump in the last months. "The allegation that a member of the former President's security team requested additional security resources that the Secret Service or the Department of Homeland Security denied is absolutely false," said Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. In fact, the Secret Service recently increased security measures.
Few hours after the attack on Trump, Republican Representative Michael Waltz said he had "reliable sources" who said there had been repeated requests for stronger intelligence service protection for Trump. Waltz did not provide any evidence.
11:16 Steinmeier Wishes Trump Quick RecoveryBundespräsident Frank-Walter Steinmeier condemned the attack and expressed his condolences to the family of the victim's family: "I condemn the attack on the 45th US President, Donald J. Trump," he writes in a statement. "Violence has no place in our democracy - not in America, not with us. We can all 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 wish a quick recovery. My deepest condolences go to the family of the victim of the attack."
10:32 Expert: "Trump directly, instinctively produced that image"Seconds after the shots were fired, Donald Trump is seen raising himself up and balling his fist at Secret Service agents. Political analyst Thomas Jäger sees the "Master of political marketing" at work here. It's crucial now whether Trump can continue spinning his "witch hunt" narrative.
10:10 Sharpshooter seemed to have noticed the assassin just before the first shotsA video posted on X shows a sharpshooter at the Trump rally in the exact moment the shots were fired. Sharpshooters are deployed 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 the shooter became aware of the danger in that moment. The shooter was soon shot dead.
09:23 Participant warned of the assassin before the shootingBefore the shooting at Trump's campaign rally in Butler, participants had noticed a man with a rifle on a roof nearby. One of them, Greg Smith, told on-site security personnel: "Hey man, there's a guy with a rifle on the roof", he later told the BBC. Their response was: "Ha ha, what?", as if they didn't know what was going on. "I thought: Why is Trump still speaking, why didn't they bring him off the stage? ... The next thing I heard were five gunshots."
09:15 Scholz condemns the attack on TrumpGerman Chancellor Olaf Scholz comments on the attempted assassination of Trump on X: "The attack on US presidential candidate Donald Trump is abhorrent. I wish him a quick recovery. My thoughts are also with those affected by the attack. Such acts of violence threaten democracy."
08:28 Photographer took picture of possible projectileDoug Mills, a photographer for the "New York Times", apparently took a picture by chance in the exact moment a bullet narrowly missed Donald Trump. Michael Harrigan, a retired FBI agent, told the newspaper that "the photo could very well show the air displacement caused by a projectile". Generally, 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 RepublicanThe FBI has identified the alleged shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks. He is from the small town of Bethel Park in the US state of Pennsylvania, about 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 member of the Republican Party in September 2021, when he turned 18.
07:46 Expert: "Secret Service needs to answer some questions"Donald Trump, as a former President and candidate, is under the protection of the Secret Service. There are highest security precautions at all campaign events, as Obama's former campaign advisor Julius van de Laar reports. It is now necessary to find out how such an attacker could strike.
07:38 World leaders express shockWorld leaders reacted shocked to the attack on Ex-President Trump. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen writes on X, she is deeply shocked, wishes Trump a quick recovery, and expresses 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 participants of the event, and all Americans."
The United Nations also condemns the attack on Trump. "The Secretary-General condemns this act of political violence in the strongest terms," explains the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres. "He wishes President Trump a quick 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 quick recovery.
On Saturday evening (local time), Biden stated that he was grateful that Trump was safe and doing well. In the USA, 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 guard was able to fire several shots. In response to a question about security measures, he states that such questions must be answered by the Secret Service. Although named as such, 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," Rojek says.
07:04 Trump in New Jersey, apparently unharmedA Trump spokesperson posts a video that shows Trump leaving an airport in New Jersey without assistance. His injured ear is not visible in the video. The Republicans have already announced that the nominating convention will proceed as planned; the convention takes place from Monday to Thursday in Milwaukee. There, Trump will be officially nominated as the Republican presidential candidate. US President Biden shared that the Democrats would stop all campaign ads as soon as possible.
06:50 Shooter fired from a roof near the rallyAnthony Guglielmi, a spokesperson for the Secret Service, says the alleged shooter fired "several shots towards the podium" and was on "an elevated position" outside the event venue. This suggests that a roof near the rally could be meant.
06:39 Apparent 20-Year-Old from Pennsylvania Opened Fire on TrumpAccording to a source familiar with the investigation of "The Washington Post," the person who shot at Trump is a 20-year-old man from Pennsylvania. The FBI officially stated that they have not identified the shooter yet but are "close" to doing so. The shooter is dead. The Pennsylvania Police have stated it's too early to tell if it was a lone gunman. However, there is no indication of "any further threat."
06:25 Media: Trump Released from HospitalTrump was discharged from the hospital late Saturday evening (local time) according to a report by the news agency Bloomberg.
06:01 FBI Classifies Trump Shooting Incident as Attempted MurderFollowing the shootings at a campaign rally in the US state of Pennsylvania, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has classified the incident as an "attempted murder" against former President Donald Trump. FBI Agent Kevin Rojek in Butler, the location of the rally, stated, "This is an attempt to murder our former President Donald Trump." Trump was injured in the ear, and according to official reports, the alleged shooter and one spectator were killed, while two others were severely wounded.
04:41 Biden Phones Trump after AttackUS President Joe Biden personally phoned Trump after the attack, according to the White House, without disclosing the contents of the conversation. On Sunday, Biden will be briefed by law enforcement agencies on the progress 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, Wisconsin, this week as planned, despite the attack on their presidential candidate Donald Trump. The party and Trump's campaign team made this joint statement. The Republicans are scheduled to gather in Milwaukee starting Monday to officially nominate the 78-year-old Trump as their presidential candidate.
03:54 Shooter Fired from Elevated PositionDuring the attack on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, the alleged shooter reportedly fired from an "elevated position" outside the event venue. One spectator was killed, and two others were severely wounded, according to the Secret Service. Initially, there was talk of a seriously injured person.
02:55 Trump: I was Hit by a Bullet in the EarAccording to his own statement on his self-founded platform Truth Social, former US President Donald Trump was hit by a bullet in the ear during the attack at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. "I was hit by a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear," Trump wrote.
00:33 Security Escorted Trump off Stage after Shots FiredFormer US President Donald Trump was escorted off the stage by security personnel after shots were fired during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. In the images, Trump is seen with a bloody ear and raised fist.
In the context of the US Presidential Election 2024, Republican Mike Johnson urged for toning down the rhetoric and lowering the temperature in politics, following Donald Trump's call for unity after the attempted assassination. Despite the attack, Joe Biden expressed gratitude that Trump was safe and expressed no place for such violence in the USA.
