After former President Donald Trump was bloodied by gunfire and escorted offstage by Secret Service following a reported shooting at his Pennsylvania rally Saturday, the Florida political world took to social media to offer their well wishes and condemn what looked to be political violence.
The Associated Press reported that the incident was being investigated as an assassination attempt.
Details around the incident were not immediately forthcoming. A spokesperson for the Secret Service said in a statement that Trump was safe, and it would release more information when it became available. The Trump campaign released a similar statement thanking first responders and law enforcement.
At about 8:45 p.m., Trump posted his account of what happened, as well as his condolences to the person who died at his rally.
“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
The Washington Post reported a few minutes after 7 p.m. that the shooter and another person at the rally was killed.
Butler county district attorney Richard Goldinger tells me Trump was grazed by gunfire but is safe. An audience member was killed and the shooter is dead. Another person is in serious condition, the prosecutor said.
— Meryl Kornfield (@MerylKornfield) July 13, 2024
The Post reported that Trump had been grazed by gunfire, citing a local district attorney.
“This was clearly an assassination attempt on President Trump,” U.S. Sen. Rick Scott posted minutes after Trump left the stage. “There is ZERO tolerance for violence. I hope this monster is already caught and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) July 13, 2024This was clearly an assassination attempt on President Trump. I’m glad he seems okay, and I am praying for him and all who were at the rally.
There is ZERO tolerance for violence. I hope this monster is already caught and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, rumored to be in consideration for Trump’s vice president, wrote “God protected President Trump.”
Rubio also criticized the media coverage immediately following the rally. Rubio posted a screen grab of CNN social media post to X.
The CNN post, which was made before details about the incident had been clarified by authorities, read, “JUST IN: Donald Trump is rushed off stage by Secret Service during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Follow live updates.”
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Explore all your options“Really?” Rubio wrote in his post above the screen grab. “No mention of the attempt to kill him?”
Trump campaign officials also criticized the immediate coverage of the shooting.
Pictures of a defiant Trump, holding a fist high, quickly began to circulate on social media. Within an hour of Trump leaving the stage, the Florida GOP’s account on X began using the incident as a rallying cry.
“This will not stop us. We will prevail! We will Make America Great Again,” the account posted around 7 p.m. Sunday. It came with a picture from the incident with the all-caps caption “Trump Strong.”
Other politicians, like Gov. Ron DeSantis, also offered well wishes to the former president.
Florida Democrats also took to social media to disavow the the apparent violence.
“I’m praying for the safety of every single person,” posted Orlando-area Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost to X. “Political violence is disgusting and should be fiercely condemned.”
Terrifying to see the videos and images coming out of former President Trump’s rally this afternoon. I’m praying for the safety of every single person. Political violence is disgusting and should be fiercely condemned.
— Maxwell Alejandro Frost (@MaxwellFrostFL) July 13, 2024
Fort Lauderdale-area U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz urged President Joe Biden to address the nation about the shooting.
“President Biden must address the nation. From the oval. Bring the temperature down. Remind us we are all Americans,” Moskowitz tweeted.
Biden was briefed on the shooting, and he said in a statement that he was praying for Trump. His campaign said it would pull its television ads in response to the shooting.
“There’s no place for this kind of violence in America,” Biden said. “We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”
In remarks to reporters Saturday night, Biden said he had tried to get ahold of Trump by phone. He called the violent events “sick,” but declined to characterize the shooting as an assassination attempt.
“I have an opinion, but I don’t have any facts,” Biden said. “So I want to make sure I have all the facts before I make any more comments.”
Scott said the president’s address was insufficient.
“@JoeBiden‘s speech was not the inspiring, unifying speech that’s necessary from the president of the United States in this moment,” Scott wrote on X. “He can’t even say it was an assassination attempt. That’s not leadership.”
This is a breaking news story that will be updated.
