Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) urged Americans to set aside political concerns and “be grateful” following the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
“There are frustrations on our side about the way President Trump has been handled,” he said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “We’ll have a chance to talk here about what’s best for America, but today let’s be grateful.”
Since Saturday night, several lawmakers have made statements linking the shooting to the former president’s political opposition. Vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) Posts Shortly after the incident, Biden posted on the social platform X that comments made by his campaign about Trump “directly led” to the assassination attempt.
“The Biden campaign’s central argument is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs,” Vance wrote. “This rhetoric led directly to the assassination attempt on President Trump.”
While Graham held the shooter responsible, he echoed Vance’s argument that Trump was “not a fascist”.
“Democracy won’t end if he wins. He’s not a fascist. He represents a point of view shared by millions of people,” Graham said.
“The rhetoric is too extreme,” he added.
Graham struck a solemn tone during the incident, revealing that he had plans to play golf with the former president on Sunday morning.
“I’m thankful you weren’t hurt more seriously and I love you,” he said in a televised message to Trump.
At about 6:15 p.m. on Saturday, shots were fired at a Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, with the former president saying one bullet pierced his ear. The shooter and one rally attendee were killed, and two others were seriously injured, according to the FBI.
