WASHINGTON — President Biden delivered an address from the Oval Office following the attempted assassination of Donald Trump on Sunday.
“My fellow Americans, I want to speak to you tonight about the need for us to lower the temperature in our politics. And to remember while we may disagree we’re not enemies, we’re neighbors or friends, coworkers, citizens. Most importantly, we are fellow Americans, we must stand together.
Yesterday’s shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania calls on all of us to take a step back. Take stock of where we are and how we go forward from here.
Thankfully former Trump is not seriously injured I spoke with him last night, and I am grateful he’s doing well and Jill and I keep him and his family in our prayers.
We also extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims who were killed. Corey was a husband, a father, a volunteer firefighter a hero. Sheltering his family from those bullets.
We should all hold his family and all those injured in our prayers.
Earlier today, I spoke about an ongoing investigation, we do not know the motive of the shooter yet, we don’t know his opinions or affiliations, we don’t know whether he had help or support, or if he communicated with anyone else.
Law enforcement professionals as I speak are investigating those questions. Tonight, I want to speak to what we do know, a former President was shot, an American citizen killed, while simply exercising his freedom to support the candidate of his choosing.
We cannot, we must not go down this road in America. We’ve traveled before throughout our history. We’ve traveled it before throughout our history. Violence has never been the answer.
Whether it’s with members of Congress, or both parties being targeted and shot. Or a violent mob attacking the Capital on January 6th or a brutal attack on the spouse of former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.
Or information and intimation on election officials or the kidnapping plot against the sitting Governor. Or an attempted assassination of Donald Trump.
There is no place in America for this kind of violence, or for any violence, ever. Period, no exceptions.
We can’t allow this violence to be normalized. You know the political rhetoric in this country has gotten very heated. It’s time to cool it down. We all have a responsibility to do that.
Yes, we have deeply felt, strong disagreements. The stakes in this election are enormously high.
I’ve said it many times that the choice in this election is going to shape the future of America and the world for decades to come. I believe that with all my soul.
I believe that millions of my fellow Americans believe it as well, and some have a different view as to the direction our country should take.
Disagreements are inevitable in American democracy. It’s part of human nature. But politics must never be a literal battlefield, and God forbid a killing field.
I believe politics ought to be an arena for peaceful debate, to pursue justice, and to make decisions guided by the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution.
We stand for an America not of extremism and fury, but of decency and grace. All of us now face a time of testing as the election approaches.
The higher the stakes, the more fervent the passions become. This places an added burden on each of us to ensure that no matter how strong our convictions, we must never descend into violence.”