After the assassination attempt on former President Trump, current President Biden delivered a national televised address from the Oval Office at the White House on Sunday, July 14th. Biden called for Americans to “calm down” and remember that they are neighbors. He emphasized that the United States should “resolve our differences through voting”.
During prime time, Biden spoke for about 6 minutes, stating that the shooting incident involving Trump showed that “we all need to take a step back” and fortunately Trump was not seriously injured in the incident.
“We cannot allow this kind of violence to become normalized. The political discourse in this country has become extremely intense. Now is the time to cool down,” he said. “We all have a responsibility to do so.”
Biden said, “We cannot, and must not, go down the path of political violence.” He stressed that even with differing views, individuals are not enemies but neighbors, friends, colleagues, and most importantly, “all Americans”.
“We must come together,” Biden said.
He stated that the United States is built on the foundation of democracy, allowing rationality and balance the opportunity to overcome violence.
“American democracy is based on sincere debates. American democracy respects the rule of law. Integrity, dignity, and fair competition are not just outdated concepts, but a living reality,” he said.
This marks the third time since taking office in 2021 that Biden has officially commented on significant issues to the American people from the Oval Office.
He emphasized in his speech, “The power to change America should be in the hands of the American people, not in the hands of an attempted assassin.”
Biden said in his speech, “We debate, we have differences, we make comparisons and contrasts… But in America, we resolve our differences at the ballot box.”
“Politics must not become a true battlefield,” Biden said. “Tonight, I’m asking every American to make a commitment again.”
On Saturday, July 13th, around 6 pm, Trump was shot at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, with a bullet grazing his right ear and blood splattering on his face. Currently, investigators are looking into the background of the suspect in the attempted assassination incident, a man named Thomas Matthew Crooks.
The attack on Trump also prompted Biden’s team to reevaluate their campaign strategy. Within hours of the shooting, Biden’s campaign team took down television ads, suspended other political campaigns, canceled verbal attacks on Trump, and instead focused on the future.
Biden pointed out that he has instructed relevant agencies to review all security measures and provide resources to ensure Trump’s safety.