DeSantis slams Biden and blames 'DC bureaucratic failures' for assassination attempt on Trump
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who challenged Trump in the GOP presidential primary, blamed Trump's shooting on "DC bureaucratic failure" and criticized Biden's remarks announcing an investigation into the security protocols at the rally.
“DC bureaucratic failures almost never result in any accountability; this time needs be to be different,” DeSantis wrote in a post to X. “Our country is in the peril its in partly because the DC ruling class has consistently evaded responsibility for its failures.”
Pennsylvania Trump supporter who skipped rally says she's 'scared' and 'sad'
“Scared for our country, and sad that this has happened,” said Rachel Wenrich, 46, when asked how she's feeling today after the shooting yesterday.
Wenrich, a Trump supporter, said she had planned to attend the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday but decided against it at the last minute due to the 90-degree temperature.
Wenrich said that while she plans to vote for Trump for the third consecutive election in November, she was frustrated with both major candidates on the ballot.
“Both candidates are narcissists, and that’s a big problem,” said Wenrich. “We actually need to be governed by people that actually listen to the people,” she added about what needs to change to prevent a tragedy like Saturday’s from occurring again.
Wenrich was also disgruntled by security at the rally, calling it “negligent.” She said she’s hopeful that what happened yesterday is an “isolated incident” and isn’t the beginning of more violence to come.
Rep. Bennie Thompson staffer loses job after posting that gunman needed shooting lessons
A campaign staffer for Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., is no longer employed in his office after expressing disappointment on social media that the shooter missed.
“I was made aware of a post made by a staff member and she is no longer in my employment,” Thompson said.
The post, which has since been deleted but has spread on X, said, “I don’t condone violence but get you some shooting lessons so you don’t miss next time.”
Thompson is the lead Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee and he chaired the special House committee that investigated Trump’s role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
Trump says he won’t delay trip to RNC in Milwaukee
Trump said that he had planned to delay his trip to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, but changed his mind and will go there as initially planned.
“I cannot allow a ‘shooter,’ or potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social site.
He said he would be heading to the convention at 3:30 p.m.
Biden says he directed Secret Service to review RNC security measures
After urging the public against making assumptions about the alleged Trump rally shooter’s motivations, Biden outlined his administration’s plans as the investigation into the incident continues:
- The Secret Service will continue to provide Trump with “every resource capability and protective measure necessary” to ensure his continued safety
- Biden directed the head of the Secret Service to review all security measures for the Republican National Convention that is scheduled to begin tomorrow
- Biden directed an independent review of national security at Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania yesterday to assess the events that unfolded and to share the results of that review with the public
- Biden said he plans to speak more about the assassination attempt on Trump “at a greater lens” from the Oval Office tonight
Biden to give Oval Office address at 8 p.m. ET
President Joe Biden will give an address to the nation from the Oval Office at 8 p.m., the White House said.
Biden has given two public addresses since yesterday's shooting, including this afternoon.
Biden says ‘an assassination attempt is contrary to everything we stand for’
In remarks to reporters, Biden said he had a “short but good conversation” with Trump after he was shot at his rally last night and extended his condolences to the family of the man who was killed.
The president again condemned the violence that broke out during the rally last night.
“An assassination attempt is contrary to everything we stand for as a nation — everything,” he said. “It’s not who we are as a nation. It’s not America, and we cannot allow this to happen. Unity is the most elusive goal of all, but nothing is more important than that right now.”
Nikki Haley confirms she will attend RNC as speaker
Nikki Haley has accepted an invitation to the Republican National Convention and plans to attend, her spokesperson Chaney Adams confirmed.
NBC News first reported yesterday that the former South Carolina governor, and Trump’s former 2024 primary rival, had been invited to speak at the RNC.
Biden begins remarks
The president has begun delivering remarks from the Roosevelt Room at the White House.
He is flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Suspicious canisters found in suspect's vehicle, officials say
Law enforcement officials found a number of suspicious canisters or containers in the suspect's vehicle, but it is unclear if they were functional as incendiary or explosive devices, two officials told NBC News.
The family is cooperating with investigators, a senior law enforcement official directly briefed on the matter said.
So far, federal investigators have found nothing to show motive. The nature of the shooting suggests political ideology as motive but there's nothing definitive, the official says.
The preliminary count is that eight shots were fired by the gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, but that could change as the FBI, ATF and other agencies comb over the rally site and rooftop, according to the official. Crooks was killed after opening fire.