Biden campaign to pull ads after rally violence
President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign is suspending television advertising following the violence that erupted today at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania, campaign officials said.
“The Biden campaign has suspended all external communications and is working to pull its television ads as soon as possible,” the official told NBC News.
In a statement released from the White House tonight, President Biden said the nation must come together to condemn such violence.
Witnesses say a man confronting Trump was shot dead
A doctor at the rally said he witnessed one person die.
The doctor, who gave his name as Joseph, said he was sitting in the auditorium to the far left of the podium when he heard the gunfire.
A few metres away, he said he saw a fellow spectator shot in the back of the head and fall to the bottom of the auditorium, facing the former president and appearing to be in the way of someone firing at Trump.
Joseph said from what he saw, the man died instantly. Pennsylvania State Police and SWAT teams then began evacuating everyone. Joseph said he helped authorities remove the body and that officers placed a towel on the man’s head before carrying him away.
Joseph was initially shocked and said he recognised the gunshots but didn’t know where they were coming from – it was “very loud” and “very close by”.
Joseph said after the man was shot, he could surmise that the bullet appeared to have been fired from behind the bleachers.
Joseph said some people initially thought it was a joke and that it sounded like fireworks. “It was pretty confusing at that point,” Joseph said.
Another woman nearby appeared to have been shot in the forearm or hand, he said, adding that seven bullets were counted and the wounded woman was struck by the first seven bullets.
Biden says Americans need to come together to condemn violence at Trump rallies
President Joe Biden made a public statement about the incident today at the former president’s rally in Pennsylvania.
“This kind of violence has no place in America,” Biden said. “We must come together as one nation and condemn it.”
Biden said he had been briefed on what had happened but would not say much more than that he was “grateful to hear he’s safe and well.”
“As we await more information, we are praying for him, his family and all those who were at the rally,” he added.
Biden said he and the first lady were grateful to the U.S. Secret Service for getting Trump to safety.
Biden is due to speak shortly from Rehoboth Beach.
Biden is scheduled to speak from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
Trump campaign tells staff not to speak to media: ‘Everything’s fine’
The Trump campaign is under a “total communications blackout,” according to a message sent to staff by James Blair, political director for the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee.
“All is well,” Blair wrote. “I can’t provide any details at this time, but I will have more information to share shortly.”
“Anyone who speaks to the press, even on a biography or off the record, will be found out and fired immediately,” Blair wrote, according to two people who received the message and relayed it to NBC News. “No comments, no speculation, no social media posts. Complete and total lockdown.”
Mr Blair also told all staff: “Your personal safety is of the utmost importance and please take extreme caution during this time.”
“Pray, stay vigilant, stay strong,” he concluded. “We will Make America Great Again.”
‘We wanted to help the president’: Trump rally attendees recall moment shots fired
Misleading and false claims spread quickly online
In the immediate aftermath of the incident, conspiracy theories, unverified claims and misleading social media posts about X racked up millions of views.
One of the fastest-growing and so far unsubstantiated theories about the shooting is that it was staged. On X, the word “staged” was the second most popular topic after “Trump,” with over 228,000 posts using the word. In just one hour, numerous posts on X claiming that the shooting was staged received millions of views. There is no evidence to support the claim that the shooting was staged.
Related phrases such as “BB gun” also appeared in X’s trending tab, with some people claiming without evidence that the weapon used in the incident was a BB gun or a weaker class of firearm.
X’s main account also quickly began circulating a photo of the Italian soccer commentator and claiming that he was the shooter and a member of Antifa. At this time, there are no police reports or statements to back up this claim.
Pennsylvania’s attorney general says he’s in contact with law enforcement partners
Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry, a Democrat, said she has been in contact with law enforcement partners and will work collaboratively.
“I am deeply saddened by this act of violence, which has no place at any federal or international borders,” she said, and my heartfelt sympathies go out to the families who will be forever affected by this heinous act.
“We wish former President Trump a speedy recovery,” she added.
Former House Speaker Pelosi: ‘Thank God’ Trump is safe
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement, “As someone whose family has been the victim of political violence, I know firsthand that political violence of any kind has no place in our society. I thank God that former President Trump is safe.”
Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, was attacked with a hammer at their San Francisco home in 2022, an incident that Trump mocked.
Gabby Giffords, a former Arizona congresswoman and Democrat who was killed in a mass shooting in 2011, also sent her best wishes to Trump.
“Political violence is horrifying. I know it,” Giffords, now a gun safety advocate, said in a statement. “My heart goes out to former President Trump and all those affected by today’s inexcusable acts of violence. Political violence is un-American and will never be acceptable.”
Before the rally, Biden called for gun control, emphasizing Trump’s opposition to it.
Hours before Trump’s rally, Biden tweeted that he supports gun control, pointing out Trump’s opposition.
