Washington:

The assassination attempt on Donald Trump has forced Joe Biden’s campaign to dial down its attacks for now, with the US president admitting he was wrong to say his rival should be put in the “bullseye.”

But Biden has more broadly defended his rhetoric describing his Republican predecessor as a threat to democracy, and is signaling he will not hold back for long while criticizing the man he beat in 2020.

When Biden urged Americans to “lower the temperature” in a rare Oval Office speech on Sunday after the Trump shooting, it seemed it could deprive him of his core attack line.

Just last week the 81-year-old had tried to pivot his campaign back on to his Republican rival, following weeks of turmoil in the Democratic Party over his age and health after a disastrous debate performance.

In the light of the Trump attack, Biden told broadcaster NBC on Monday that was a “mistake” to say in a call with donors a week ago that it was “time to put Trump in the bullseye.” 

The Democrat said he had meant that the party should “focus on what he’s doing” instead of calling him to quit after the debate.

Republicans have pointed to the bullseye comment in particular as they accuse Biden himself of creating the political conditions that led a shooter to try to kill Trump — ignoring their own candidate’s history of encouraging violence.

But while Biden’s campaign has toned down its language in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Biden himself hinted that he would not hold back.

“How do you talk about the threat to democracy, which is real, when a president says things like he says. Do you just not say anything because it may incite somebody?” he told NBC.

“I have not engaged in that rhetoric. Now my opponent has engaged in that rhetoric, he talks about how there’ll be a bloodbath when he loses.”

He also slammed Trump for pledging to pardon those involved in the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack by pro-Trump supporters and for joking about former US House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband being attacked with a hammer.

‘Changes the calculus’

Facing repeated questions over Biden’s comment at a White House briefing, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said it was “OK to speak to someone’s record, speak to someone’s character.”

Despite canceling a trip to Texas on Monday, Biden is continuing with a planned visit to the battleground state of Nevada, setting up a split-screen with Trump’s convention appearances.

In an opinion piece in the Washington Post, political columnist Karen Tumulty wrote that there could “hardly be a worse moment for Biden to be compelled to redraw his strategy against Trump.”

The Trump shooting could, however, help Biden as he fights for his own political survival.

“Obviously this changes the calculus for people calling for Biden to stand down,” Peter Loge, a political scientist at George Washington University, told AFP.

“It buys Biden some time.”

The Democratic meltdown over Biden’s age following the debate had dominated the airwaves for weeks, but with the gunshots on Saturday the revolt over his candidacy fell abruptly silent.

Biden has also sought to strike a presidential tone over the shooting, coming out quickly to react on Saturday and addressing the nation Sunday in just the third Oval Office speech of his presidency.

But if the shooting could unify Democrats, it could also doom Biden’s reelection bid, with the president already behind in most polls.

Iconic images of a bloodied Trump waving his fist after the shooting are already galvanizing Republican hopes that voters will further rally behind him for a landslide victory in November.

Loge, however, said there may be little effect as “a lot of voters see Trump as too nuts and Biden as too old, and an assassination attempt doesn’t change that.”

He added that focusing on the immediate impact of the shooting on the campaigns was the “wrong question” and missed the wider need to tackle the threats and violence plaguing US politics.

“If we make political violence part of a campaign strategy we miss the point of political violence, and we end up kind of normalizing it,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A day after Donald Trump survived an assassination bid at his last campaign rally, the former US President Donald Trump praised the Secret Service officials for their heroic actions.

“They took him (shooter) out with one shot right between the eyes,” he told the New York Post in an interview. “They did a fantastic job,” he added.

“It’s surreal for all of us,” he said.

Donald Trump told the publication that he would have been dead had he not tilted his head slightly to the right to read a chart while addressing the rally.

“I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,” Trump told the New York Post.

Donald Trump told the New York Post that as Secret Service agents led him off stage, he still wanted to continue speaking to supporters.

“I just wanted to keep speaking, but I just got shot,” he said.

The 78-year-old had just started his speech during a Saturday campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania when the shots rang out and one of the bullets grazed his ear.

A moment of terrifying political violence at the rally instantly turned into a piece of Donald Trump iconography that’s likely to turbocharge his presidential bid.

Images of a defiant Trump – with his fist raised over his head and his bloody right ear, as Secret Service agents surround him and the American flag waving in the background – are blazing across social media and television.

He said that he was glad he didn’t have to die for an iconic picture. “A lot of people say it’s the most iconic photo they’ve ever seen. They’re right, and I didn’t die. Usually, you have to die to have an iconic picture,” Trump told the New York Post.

Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt yesterday evening during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Multiple videos shot by bystanders and video journalists showed what happened before, after and the moment when Mr Trump was shot at. Now, a four-month-old video has resurfaced online that predicted the attack on the former US president.

In a video posted on YouTube on March 14, Bradon Biggs spoke about an alleged divine vision he had about the attempt at Trump’s life. Biggs has a YouTube channel where he frequently posts videos on “visions and prophetic warnings”.

“I saw an attempt on his (Donald Trump) life. This bullet flew by his ear and it came so close to his head that it busted his eardrum, and I saw he fell to his knees during this timeframe and started worshipping the lord,” he said.

The 78-year-old had just begun his speech when shots rang out, hitting his right ear and streaking his face with blood. He dropped to his knees behind the podium. When he emerged about a minute later, he mouthed “Fight! Fight! Fight!” pumping his fist in the air.

Many X users are now posting the clip of Biggs in which he also claim that he saw Trump “winning the presidency”.

Recorded on 3/14/24 (verified), Pastor Brandon Biggs recounts a prophecy he saw.

“I saw an attempt on [Trump’s] life that this bullet flew by his ear and it came so close to his head that it busted his ear drum. And I saw, he fell to his knees during this timeframe…” pic.twitter.com/U9iGpNmN7j

— John Greenewald, Jr. (@blackvaultcom) July 14, 2024

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks as the “subject involved” in the attempted assassination.

One rally attendee was killed and two other spectators were injured in the shooting. The suspect was shot dead by a Security Services agent.

The shooting occurred less than four months before the November 5 election, when Trump faces an election rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden. Most opinion polls including those by Reuters/Ipsos show the two locked in a close contest.

It was the first shooting of a US president or major party candidate since the 1981 attempted assassination of Republican President Ronald Reagan.

The incident has raised immediate questions about security failures by the Secret Service, which provides former presidents including Trump with lifetime protection.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks as the shooter behind the attempted assassination of former US President Donald Trump, it said in a statement today.

Crooks, 20, was killed by security officials when he opened fire at the 78-year-old Republican presidential candidate, injuring his ear, during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. 

“The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the subject involved in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania,” the FBI said in a statement quoted by NBC and CBS.

Law enforcement officials earlier told reporters they had tentatively identified the suspected shooter but were not ready to do so publicly. They also said they had not yet identified the motive. The FBI, which is the lead federal law enforcement agency in the investigation, had said the shooting was being treated as “an assassination attempt” against the former president.

Trump was hit in the ear in the shocking shooting, which left a bystander dead and two others critically injured. He was quickly rushed off stage by the US Secret Service agents, with blood seen on his face.

The gunshots were heard when Trump had just started speaking at his final rally before the Republican National Convention.

Thousands of his supporters were in attendance when the shooting, which was captured live on news channels, happened.

Donald Trump Says Bullet Pierced Part Of Right Ear

Donald Trump, in his first account of being attacked during a rally, said, “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.”

“I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin,” Trump said on his Truth Social site.

“Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening,” he added.

He also thanked the Secret Service and law enforcement for their “rapid response”.

“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our country,” he said.

The shocking incident occurred less than four months before the November 5 US presidential election, when Trump is set to face an election rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden.

Former president Donald Trump was the target of an apparent assassination attempt on July 13 at a Pennsylvania rally, days before he was to accept the Republican nomination for a third time. A barrage of gunfire set off panic, and a bloodied Trump, who said he was shot in the ear, was surrounded by Secret Service and hurried to his SUV as he pumped his fist in a show of defiance.

In the coming days, much of the focus will shift to the shooter and security lapses. The shooter was not an attendee at the rally and was killed by U.S. Secret Service agents, according to two officials who spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation.

The officials said the shooter was engaged by members of the U.S. Secret Service counterassault team. The heavily armed tactical team travels everywhere with the President and major party nominees and is meant to confront any active threats while other agents focus on safeguarding and evacuating the person at the center of protection.

Law enforcement recovered an AR-style rifle at the scene, according to a third person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation.

An AP analysis of more than a dozen videos and photos from the scene of the Trump rally, as well as satellite imagery of the site, shows the shooter was able to get astonishingly close to the stage where the former president was speaking. A video posted to social media and geolocated by the AP shows the body of a person wearing grey camouflage lying motionless on the roof of a building at AGR International Inc., a manufacturing plant just north of the Butler Farm Show grounds where Trump’s rally was held.

The roof where the person lay was less than 150 metres (164 yards) from where Trump was speaking, a distance from which a decent marksman could reasonably hit a human-sized target. For reference, 150 metres is the distance at which U.S. Army recruits must hit a scaled human-sized silhouette to qualify with the M-16 rifle.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, whose department oversees the Secret Service, said officials were engaged with the Biden and Trump campaigns and “taking every possible measure to ensure their safety and security.”

Trump was showing off a chart of border crossing numbers when the apparent shots began just after 6:10 p.m. It took two minutes from the moment of the first shot for Trump to be placed in a waiting SUV.

As Trump was talking, a popping sound was heard, and the former president put his right hand up to his right ear, as people in the stands behind him appeared to be shocked.

As the first pop rang out, Trump said, “Oh,” and grabbed his ear as two more pops could be heard and he crouched down. More shots were heard then.

Someone could be heard saying near the microphone at Trump’s lectern, “Get down, get down, get down, get down!” as agents tackled the former president. They piled atop him to shield him with their bodies, as is their training protocol, as other agents took up positions on stage to search for the threat.

Screams were heard in the crowd of several thousand people. A woman screamed louder than the rest. Afterward, voices were heard saying “shooter’s down” several times, before someone asked “are we good to move?” and “are we clear?” Then, someone ordered, “Let’s move.”

Trump could be heard on the video saying at least twice, “Let me get my shoes, let me get my shoes,” with another voice heard saying, “I’ve got you sir.”

Trump got to his feet moments later and could be seen reaching with his right hand toward his face. There appeared to be blood on his face. He then pumped his fist in the air and appeared to mouth the word “Fight” twice his crowd of supporters, prompting loud cheers and then chants of “USA. USA. USA.”

The crowd cheered as he got back up and pumped his fist.

His motorcade left the venue moments later. Video showed Trump turning back to the crowd and raising a fist right before he was put into a vehicle.

“Everybody went to their knees or their prone position, because we all knew, everyone becoming aware of the fact this was gunfire,” said Dave McCormick, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, who was sitting to Trump’s right on stage.

As he saw Trump raise his fist, Mr. McCormick said, he looked over his shoulder and noticed someone had been hit while sitting in the bleachers behind the stage.

Eventually, first responders were able to carry the injured person out of a large crowd so he could get medical care, Mr. McCormick said.

Reporters covering the rally heard five or six shots ring out and many ducked for cover, hiding under tables. After the first two or three bangs, people in the crowd looked startled, but not panicked. An AP reporter at the scene reported the noise sounded like firecrackers at first or perhaps a car backfiring.

When it was clear the situation had been contained and that Trump would not be returning to speak, attendees started filing out of the venue. One man in an electric wheelchair got stuck on the field when his chair’s battery died. Others tried to help him move.

Police soon told the people remaining to leave the venue and Secret Service agents told reporters to get “out now. This is a live crime scene.”

Two firefighters from nearby Steubenville, Ohio, who were at the rally told the AP that they helped people who appeared injured and heard bullets hitting broadcast speakers.

“The bullets rattled around the grandstand, one hit the speaker tower and then chaos broke. We hit the ground and then the police converged into the grandstands, said Chris Takach.

“The first thing I heard is a couple of cracks,” Dave Sullivan said.

Mr. Sullivan said he saw one of the speakers get hit and bullets rattling and, “we hit the deck.”

He said once Secret Service and other authorities converged on Trump, he and Mr. Takach assisted two people who may have been shot in the grandstand and cleared a path to get them out of the way.

“Just a sad day for America,” Mr. Sullivan said.

“After we heard the shots got fired, then the hydraulic line was spraying all around, you could see the hydraulic fluid coming out of it. And then the speaker tower started to fall down,” Mr. Sullivan said. “Then we heard another shot that, you could hear, you knew something was, it was bullets. It wasn’t firecrackers.”

The perils of campaigning took on a new urgency after the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in California in 1968, and again in 1972 when Arthur Bremer shot and seriously hurt George Wallace, who was running as an independent on a campaign platform that has sometimes been compared to Trump’s. That led to increased protection of candidates, even as the threats persisted, notably against Jesse Jackson in 1988 and Barack Obama in 2008.

Presidents, particularly after the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, have even greater layers of security. Trump is a rarity as both a former president and a current candidate.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Sen. JD Vance, the three men on Trump’s shortlist for vice president, all quickly sent out statements expressing concern for the former president, with Rubio sharing an image taken as Trump was escorted off stage with his fist in the air and a streak of blood on his face along with the words “God protected President Trump.”

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said in a statement on X that he had been briefed on the situation and Pennsylvania state police were on hand at the rally site.

“Violence targeted at any political party or political leader is absolutely unacceptable. It has no place in Pennsylvania or the United States,” he said.

Shots were fired during a rally speech by Donald Trump, in an incident that investigators are treating as a possible assassination attempt on the former president.

Including Abraham Lincoln and JFK, here are some notable examples of shootings involving US presidents or presidential candidates:

– Ronald Reagan (1981) –

President Reagan was shot and seriously wounded as he left an event at the Hilton hotel in Washington. The attacker was John Hinckley Jr, who was granted unconditional release in 2022.

Reagan spent twelve days in the hospital. The incident boosted Reagan’s popularity, as he displayed humor and resilience during his recovery.

– Gerald Ford (1975) –

President Ford was left unscathed in two separate assassination attempts by women in September 1975, both in California and within a span of just 17 days.

– George Wallace (1972) –

While campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination, Wallace was shot four times and paralyzed for life at a shopping mall in Laurel, Maryland.

The assassination attempt on Wallace, who was known for his segregationist views and populist appeal, highlighted the ongoing political tensions in the US and potential for domestic violence in the Vietnam war era.

– Robert F. Kennedy (1968) –

President John F. Kennedy’s brother Robert, who was running for the Democratic presidential nomination, was shot and killed at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California.

The assassination had a profound impact on the 1968 presidential race and occurred just two months after the killing of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr, adding to the political turmoil of the late 1960s.

– John F. Kennedy (1963) –

Riding in his motorcade with his wife Jackie, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas by Lee Harvey Oswald.

The Warren Commission investigating the assassination concluded in 1964 that Lee Harvey Oswald, a former marine who had lived in the Soviet Union, had acted alone.

Many Americans believe the death of JFK began a more violent period in US politics and society, with the Vietnam War build up and the civil rights struggle as a backdrop.

– Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933) –

As president-elect, FDR was the target of an assassination attempt in Miami, Florida. He was unharmed, but Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak was killed in the attack.

– Theodore Roosevelt (1912) –

Like Trump, Teddy Roosevelt was running for the White House as a former president when he was shot in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The bullet, which remained lodged in his chest for the rest of his life, was slowed by the folded 50-page speech and steel eyeglass case in his breast pocket.

Famously, Roosevelt decided to deliver his scheduled speech despite being shot.

– William McKinley (1901) –

President McKinley was shot and killed by anarchist Leon Czolgosz in Buffalo, New York.

– Abraham Lincoln (1865) –

Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, a well-known actor and Confederate sympathizer, while watching a play called “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Theater in Washington.

Booth’s attack, just days after the Confederate surrender in the Civil War, was part of a larger plot that included attempts to assassinate Vice President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William Seward.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Former US President Donald Trump was rushed off stage after a series of gunshots were fired at his campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania today. As gunshots were heard, he grimaced and clutched a hand to his right ear, where blood was clearly visible across his cheek and mouth.

The suspected shooter was confirmed dead, while a spectator was killed, and two others “critically injured”.

Video: Moment Trump Was Attacked At Rally

In his first reaction to a shooting at his rally, the 78-year-old Republican presidential candidate said in a statement he “was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear”. His campaign said he was “fine” and being checked at a medical facility.

Secret Service agents, who quickly surrounded the Republican candidate and escorted him roughly off the stage, 

Here are live updates on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally:

Trump Supporters Seen Laying In Stands After Gunshots Fired At Republican

Trump supporters were seen laying in the stands after guns were fired at the Republican at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Photo: AFP

“Bullet Pierced Upper Part Of My Right Ear”: Trump On Shooting

In his first reaction to shooting at his rally, Donald Trump said he”was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of his right ear”.

“I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania. Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured,” he said in a statement.

“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!,” he added.

“I Fully Endorse President Trump”: Elon Musk After Shooting At Rally

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has said that he “fully” endorses Trump after the rally violence.

“I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,” Musk wrote on X, as he shared a video of Trump pumping his fist while being escorted away by Secret Service agents.

I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery pic.twitter.com/ZdxkF63EqF

– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 13, 2024

Donald Trump Seen Being Evacuated By Secret Service Agents

A picture shows Secret Service agents surrounding Donald Trump onstage after shooting at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Photo: AFP

George W Bush On Trump Rally Shooting

Former US president George W Bush also condemned the “cowardly” attack.

“Laura and I are grateful that President Trump is safe following the cowardly attack on his life. And we commend the men and women of the Secret Service for their speedy response,” he said in a statement. 

Trump Rally Shooting: Video Shows Moment He Was Attacked

In a video that captures the shooting at Donald Trump’s Pennsylvania rally, the former US President can be seen delivering his speech amongst a big crowd of his supporters when several gunshots are heard. 

After the first couple of gunshots that took the 78-year-old president unawares, he can be seen touching his right ear before ducking to take cover behind the stage dias.

TRUMP WAS JUST SHOT ON LIVE TV

Please stop what you’re doing and pray pic.twitter.com/jlYtCeRe3O

– End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) July 13, 2024 

The crowd behind him, visibly confused and scared, also ducks to dodge any bullet. 

Trump, whose right ear can be seen bleeding, raises his fist in the air while being evacuated.

Trump Rally Shooting: “Absolutely No Place For Political Violence”, Says Obama

Former US President Barack Obama also reacted to the apparent shooting at his successor Donald Trump’s rally and said there was “absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy.”

“Although we don’t yet know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics,” he posted on X.

There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy. Although we don’t yet know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics….

– Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 13, 2024

Donald Trump Rally Shooting: “Grateful To Hear He’s Safe”, Says Biden

US President Joe Biden said he was “grateful to hear” that his election rival Donald Trump was safe in a shooting incident at a rally in Pennsylvania. 

“I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information,” Biden said in a statement shortly after the incident.

“Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”

I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania.

I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information.

Jill and I are grateful to the Secret…

– President Biden (@POTUS) July 13, 2024

Trump Rally Shooting: Suspected Shooter Dead

The suspected shooter has been confirmed dead, along with one bystander, US media reported.

A second bystander may also have been hit.

The shooting took place shortly after Donald Trump took the stage at his final campaign rally before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee next week.

Donald Trump “Fine” After Shooting At Rally In Butler, Pennsylvania

Donald Trump’s campaign said he was “fine” and being checked at a medical facility.

“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act. He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow,” said spokesperson Steven Cheung in a statement.

“The former president is safe,” the Secret Service said in a post on X.

Live Updates: Donald Trump Rushed Off Stage After Shooting At Rally

Former US President Donald Trump was rushed off stage after a series of gunshots were fired at his campaign rally in Pennsylvania today.

As gunshots were heard, he clutched a hand to his right ear, where blood was clearly visible across his cheek and mouth.