Calls for President Joe Biden to replace him have reportedly stalled following the near-assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
The rally came after Biden was facing growing pressure from Democrats and donors to drop out of the presidential race following his performance at the June 27 presidential debate.
Several House Democrats spoke out after suspect Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, reportedly took up position on a rooftop near the rally and fired a bullet that “penetrated” the top of former President Trump’s “right ear.” Said Axios reported that the “focus is on expressing condolences.”
Republican presidential candidate and former president Donald Trump pumps his fist as he gets into his car during a campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Jean J. Puskar)
“We are all mourning and focused on keeping our team safe,” a House Democrat told the outlet.
Asked about questions about Biden continuing to be a presidential candidate, another Democrat reportedly said it was “not our focus right now.”
Following the attempted assassination of President Trump, several Democratic lawmakers issued a statement condemning “political violence.” In the shooting, former Pennsylvania fire chief Corey Comperatore died after “trying to protect his wife and daughter after President Trump was shot and threw them to the ground,” and two others were seriously injured.
Among Democrats who issued statements condemning the violence were former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York), Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.).
Biden also released a statement saying he was “grateful” that President Trump was “safe and well.” The president added that “there is no place for this kind of violence in America.”
“After an American death, a former president and others injured, and a shattered country struggling to find reason and respect,” Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota, a former Democratic presidential candidate in 2024, told the outlet.
“It would be unpatriotic and unprincipled to focus our energy in the coming days on anything other than yesterday’s national tragedy,” Phillips added. “The only conversation about President Biden should be how he can comfort our country, address the anger, and respond to this situation.”
The Biden campaign announced that it would “pause all outgoing communications” after the shooting. remove According to Fox News, their TV ads:
