Credits: The New York Times
Washington, D.C. – In a rare and solemn address from the White House Oval Office, U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday (July 14) called for Americans to lower the political temperature and remember their shared humanity following the wounding of Republican rival Donald Trump in an assassination attempt.
Trump was shot at a political rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, an incident that also resulted in the death of a spectator and critical injuries to two others. The assailant was shot dead by security forces. Thankfully, Trump was not seriously injured.
“This calls on all of us to take a step back,” Biden said in his brief remarks. “We can’t allow this violence to be normalized. The political rhetoric in this country has gotten very heated. It’s time to cool it down. We all have a responsibility to do this.”
This marked Biden’s third address from the Oval Office on issues of significant national importance since taking office in 2021. The setting underscored the gravity of his message and allowed him to project the power of incumbency amid calls from some within his Democratic Party for the 81-year-old to step aside in the upcoming election due to concerns about his age and mental acuity.
Gun violence remains a pervasive issue in the United States, but political violence is relatively rare. Four U.S. presidents have been assassinated, and several others have faced attempts on their lives. Multiple presidential candidates have also been shot, some fatally.
In the wake of the shooting, Biden and his team have adjusted their campaign strategy. They have called off verbal attacks on Trump and focused instead on a message of unity and future vision. Within hours of the incident, Biden’s campaign removed television ads and suspended other political communications.
“Tonight I’m asking every American to recommit. Hate must have no safe harbor,” Biden said.
The attempted assassination has intensified political tensions and fueled a torrent of conspiracy theories. Unsubstantiated claims that the shooting was staged and that the blood on Trump was fake, along with a doctored photo of his security detail smiling shortly after the incident, have spread across social media.
Analysts warn that such events can exacerbate disinformation in an already polarized nation ahead of the November presidential election. “An event like this, in a moment like this, would fuel conspiracy theories,” said Julien Giry from the University of Tours in France. “The more images you have, the more opportunity you have to create an alternative discourse.”
As the nation grapples with the fallout from the attack, Biden’s call for unity and a reduction in heated political rhetoric highlights the urgent need to address the deep divisions and violence threatening American democracy.