The first state-level official to release a statement expressing sympathy for Trump, his family, and the victims of Saturday’s assassination attempt of the former president was Gov. Kevin Stitt.
“My prayers are with President Trump and those in attendance at the rally— and we should all feel so thankful for the swift response by the Secret Service and law enforcement,” Stitt commented in a press release less than an hour following initial reports of the incident. “While details are still coming in, we can’t tolerate attempts to thwart democracy with political violence. Period.”
Next was Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who didn’t offer prayers for the former president but did thank God for the president’s safety after a bullet seemed to graze Trump’s ear in videos. Drummond also called for Americans to resolve their differences at the ballot box rather than with political violence.
“The bullets of madmen have altered the course of American history many times, but not today. Thank God President Trump is safe,” he said. “Amid reports of multiple injuries and possible fatalities at this horrific shooting, every American must reject political violence and resolve to settle our policy differences at the ballot box. The future of our Republic depends on it.”
The alleged shooter has been identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, a nursing home worker from Bethel Park, Pa., according to FBI reports. So far, the motive for the attempt to take Donald Trump's life is unknown, but the FBI and Secret Service are actively investigating.
Superintendent of Education Ryan Walters, Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat and House Speaker Charles McCall also sent their versions of similar statements to reporters within a day of the rally.
They are all Republicans. At least one Democrat in the House, Minority Leader Rep. Cyndi Munson, from Oklahoma City, went to social media platform X to share her piece about political violence.
“Political violence anywhere towards anyone is unacceptable,” Munson said. “Americans should be able to exercise their First Amendment right to attend a political rally w/o fearing for their lives. I’m praying for the former President, the audience members who were harmed, & their families.”
The sentiment is bipartisan and a rare instance of both state legislative chambers agreeing with each other and with President Joe Biden, who echoed a version of the same message during an Oval Office speech Sunday.
Biden called for Americans to “cool down” the temperature of their politics.
“There is no place in America for this kind of violence or for any violence ever. Period, Biden said. “ “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. And we all have a responsibility to do that. “
