Biden on Trump rally shooting: ‘Everybody must condemn it’

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. – President Biden addressed the nation on Saturday shortly after former President Trump, his 2024 opponent, was bloodied in a shooting at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

Biden told reporters he had tried to get ahold of Trump and hoped to speak with the former president.

“Look, there’s no place in America for this kind of violence. It’s sick. It’s sick,” Biden said.

“We cannot be like this. We cannot condone this,” he said, adding, “Everybody must condemn it.”

Biden said he would continue to be briefed by federal agencies on what took place and that it appeared Trump was “doing well.”

“So far, it appears he’s doing well, number one, 

Asked if it was an assassination attempt, Biden said he did not have enough facts to weigh in.

Trump was on stage for just a short time at a rally in Butler, Pa., before apparent gun shots rang out and Secret Service agents stormed the stage. Trump’s ear was bloodied, and some blood had run onto his face.

The former president pumped his first toward the crowd as he was escorted away by law enforcement.

The Trump campaign said in a statement that the former president “is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow.”

The suspected shooter is dead and a rally attendee was killed, the Butler County District Attorney told The Associated Press.

Biden had issued a statement just before making remarks on camera in which he condemned the act of violence and said he was “grateful” Trump was safe.

The Biden campaign said it was pausing its outbound communications and working to pull down its television ads as quickly as possible in the wake of the shooting.