U.S. politicians call for unity over the Trump shooting but some pushed more division

The attempted assassination of Donald Trump shocked many individuals as the news of what happened began to make headlines around the world—and while many people may dislike the former president—the reaction to the news has nearly been unanimous, though some tried to deepen the divisions. 

Joe Biden was quick to issue a statement on the shooting and let the country know that he was grateful that the former president was doing well. Biden thanked members of the Secret Service and ended by noting that such violence was unacceptable. 

“There’s no place for this kind of violence in America,” Biden’s statement said before he added: “We must unite as one nation to condemn it.” The President’s message was one of unity despite the bad blood between the men, and the message was received. 

Vice President Kamala Harris issued a similar statement as Biden on the same day and also expressed relief that Trump was not seriously injured in the incident. She was also grateful to those who took immediate action and echoed Biden’s final message. 

“Violence such as this has no place in our nation. We must all condemn this abhorrent act and do our part to ensure that it does not lead to more violence,” the statement from the Vice President noted, according to the White House.

The assassination attempt unified top congressional leaders according to NBC News, which reported House Speaker Mike Johnson, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck rebuked the incident and called for unity. 

“I am horrified by what happened at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania and relieved that former President Trump is safe. Political violence has no place in our country,” Senate Majority Leader Schumer said according to Reuters. 

“This horrific act of political violence at a peaceful campaign rally has no place in this country and should be unanimously and forcefully condemned,” Speaker of the House Johnson noted. "Congress will conduct a full investigation of the tragedy.”

"As one whose family has been the victim of political violence, I know firsthand that political violence of any kind has no place in our society. I thank God that former President Trump is safe." Nancy Pelosi said in her message. 

From former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the message was clear: the country needed to come together in the face of such terrible political violence.  

Trump himself called for unity in a rare moment of humility on Truth Social in which he thanked all those who had him in their thoughts and prayers and vowed that he would remain fearless and defiant in the face of wickedness. 

"Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening. We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness.

“Our love goes out to the other victims and their families. We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed,” Trump wrote. 

“In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win,” Trump added before adding he loved his country and would speak in Wisconsin the following week. 

Unfortunately, some Republicans were showing their true character in the wake of the incident and several representatives took to social media to condemn Biden, the left, and the media for creating the conditions that led to the attempted assassination. 

Georgia Republican Mike Collins wrote on the social media platform X: “The Republican District Attorney in Butler County, PA, should immediately file charges against Joseph R. Biden for inciting an assassination.”

The ever-delightful Marjorie Taylor Greene also made it known she blamed the other side of the political aisle for the shooting and said that it was exactly what Democrats wanted in a message according to a quote from her published by Reuters. 

"Democrats wanted this to happen. They’ve wanted Trump gone for years and they’re prepared to do anything to make that happen,” Greene said, and she wasn’t the only Republican to respond with accusations against Democrats. 

Florida Senator Rick Scott wrote on X that “Democrats and liberals in the media have called Trump a fascist. They’ve compared him to Hitler.” However, Scott didn’t stop there and he went on to make a very concerning statement. 

“They’ve tried to lock him up. They tried to remove his Secret Service protection. Just this week, @JoeBiden said he wanted to put Trump in the crosshairs,” Scott added, and while his words may seem problematic, they reveal a deeper problem with the country. 

Sahil Kapur of NBC News wrote in a report on the incident that the worrying reactions from some were “emblematic of the deep polarization that has struck American politics,” which is a statement that looks to be more true than many may have realized until now.  

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