Biden says there is 'no place' for political violence
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the attempt on Trump's life today, he said in a statement released by the White House.
Biden commended the Secret Service and law enforcement and said he was "relieved" that Trump was unharmed.
"There is an active investigation into this incident as law enforcement gathers more details about what happened," Biden wrote.
"As I have said many times, there is no place for political violence or for any violence ever in our country, and I have directed my team to continue to ensure that Secret Service has every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure the former President’s continued safety," he said.
State attorney says suspect will face federal charges
The state attorney for Palm Beach County, Dave Aronberg, said tonight that the federal government will take over the case against the suspect in the second attempt on Trump's life and that the Justice Department will file charges.
Aronberg told MSNBC's Ali Velshi and Ayman Mohyeldin that he does not believe the suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, would have had to have fired a shot to be charged with attempted assassination.
Aronberg said his understanding was that Routh was “lying in wait” for Trump and that the Secret Service spotted him in the brush. He said Routh aimed at Secret Service agents and was fired on.
Aronberg added that Routh was “pretty quiet” and “pretty compliant” with law enforcement when he was pulled over. He said he wasn’t sure whether Routh has said anything since he was taken into custody.
Aronberg said laws about obtaining and possessing assault-style rifles in Florida are "loose," adding, "We need to be tougher on that."
"Perhaps that's going to have to come at the federal level, an assault weapons ban or something of that sort," he said.
House Speaker Mike Johnson says he spent time with Trump at Mar-a-Lago today
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., posted on X this evening saying he spent hours with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence today and called him "unstoppable."
Lawmakers from both parties call for easing rhetoric, praise Secret Service’s quick action
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have taken to X to praise the Secret Service and to condemn political violence following the second attempt on Trump’s life today.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called for a "thorough, swift, and transparent" investigation by the FBI and the Secret Service in a post, saying he was "very grateful President Trump is safe after another attempted assassination attempt. There is no place for political violence in our country, and those responsible for it must be held to account."
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., wrote on X he was grateful for all the law enforcement personnel involved, who he said averted a “catastrophe,” adding, “I can’t believe I’m having to say this once again this election cycle: there is absolutely no place for violence in politics."
Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., also thanked "the brave Secret Service agents and local law enforcement members in Florida" on X and called for Republicans and Democrats to “stand together united against extremism and political violence of any kind.”
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said he was “distressed” to hear about the attempt and “glad” to hear Trump was safe.
“This madness has got to stop,” Schiff said. “Violence is not the answer to our political differences.”
Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., the Democratic nominee for Senate in the state, condemned the attack “in the strongest possible terms.”
“Violence has no place in our democracy,” Gallego wrote. “The recent gunshots fired toward Donald Trump are unacceptable and disturbing.”
Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine similarly called political violence of any kind “wrong” and against “the core American values we believe in.”
Acting Secret Service Director Rowe briefed congressional committees last week on July assassination attempt
Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe, who is on his way to Florida following the second attempt on Trump’s life, briefed the House task force, as well as top senators, about the first assassination attempt against Trump last week.
The two-hour briefing, his first with the task force, “gave members a baseline understanding of the Secret Service’s role at the July 13th rally,” a spokesperson for the committee said.
As he left the briefing, ranking member Jason Crow, D-Colo., was asked whether he was confident that Trump and Harris are safe.
“Well, we’re working to help restore the confidence of the American people, and that’s actually one of the things that this task force takes very seriously. ... You don’t have to be a Democrat or Republican to condemn violence and to say that this never should have happened. It doesn’t matter what your political affiliation is.”
“There should never be an attempted assassination that gets that close, that’s allowed to happen,” Crow said. “And people have rightful questions, and this task force was formed to have, to help restore the confidence, and we’re going through the process now of restoring the American people’s confidence.”
'My resolve is stronger than ever,' Trump writes in new fundraising email
Trump said in a new fundraising email that his "resolve is stronger than ever after another attempt on my life."
"I will never slow down. I will never give up. I WILL NEVER SURRENDER!" he wrote.
"I thank God every day for having supporters like you on my side. On November 5th, WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
In an earlier fundraising email, Trump said he was "safe and well," adding, "Nobody was hurt. Thank God."
New Hampshire Libertarian Party posted about assassinating VP Harris
Hours before the second attempt to assassinate Trump, the New Hampshire Libertarian Party issued a post on X that appeared to support the idea of assassinating Harris.
"Anyone who murders Kamala Harris would be an American hero," the account wrote in a since-deleted post. In a follow-up post, the party wrote that it deleted its original post "because we don’t want to break the terms of this website we agreed to."
"It’s a shame that even on a 'free speech' website that libertarians cannot speak freely," the post said, adding that the political group was "truly the most oppressed minority."
However, the party did not cease its incendiary rhetoric on the website, later posting a poll asking, "Would it have been good or bad if at least one governor who instituted lockdowns had been shot?" seemingly referring to Covid-era lockdowns.
Congressional task force investigating first attempt on Trump's life seeks Secret Service briefing
The House task force investigating the first attempt to assassinate Trump said it is seeking a Secret Service briefing on today's incident.
"We have requested a briefing with the U.S. Secret Service about what happened and how security responded," the task force's chairman, Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and ranking member, Jason Crow, D-Colo., said in a statement. "We are thankful that the former President was not harmed, but remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in all of its forms. The Task Force will share updates as we learn more.”
The House formed the committee, made up of seven Republicans and six Democrats, to investigate the attempt on Trump's life in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July.
Acting Secret Service director is headed to Florida
Acting Director Ronald Rowe is headed to Florida following today’s incident, two Secret Service officials said.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement that he was briefed by Rowe and that he "applauded" the Secret Service "for their quick response to ensure former President Trump’s safety."
“There is no place in this country for political violence of any kind," Schumer said. "The perpetrator must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Law enforcement officials identify suspect as Ryan Wesley Routh
The person in custody whom the Secret Service shot at while he was in possession of a semiautomatic rifle is Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, three senior law enforcement officials briefed on the matter said.
According to public records, Routh lives in Kaaawa, Hawaii, but previously lived in Greensboro, North Carolina.