“Fox & Friends” co-host Ainsley Earhardt recounted receiving the news of the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.

Earhardt said she received a phone call from a FOX employee to turn on the television as the president had just been shot.

“To see that happen to someone who wants to give so much to our country is just very emotional and something I’d never experienced before,” Earhardt said. “When Reagan was shot I was 5 or 6 years old.”

She went on to express condolences to the family of Corey Comperatore
, the volunteer firefighter, husband and father who lost his life at the rally, “I’m so sorry for the family that did lose their loved one.”

Comperatore died shielding his family from bullets. Two others, David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74, are fighting for their lives.

“I wish them all the best, lots of prayers going up,” she added.

Earhardt concluded, “Stop the vitriol and just move forward as a country the red white and blue is more important than these politics.”

Local law enforcement had responsibility for the building where Thomas Matthew Crooks fired several shots at former President Trump on Saturday, Fox News has learned.

The building Crooks fired from was a “rally point” for one of the local counter sniper teams, according to a federal law enforcement official familiar with the security plans.

The source also said that a team was actually stationed in, or near, the building. There were four counter sniper teams at the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, including two from the Secret Service and two from local law enforcement.

Fox News’ Jake Gibson, David Spunt, Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.

Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood
made a surprise appearance at the 2012 Republican National Convention, where now-Sen. Mitt Romney was nominated as the GOP nominee to challenge then-incumbent President Barack Obama. 

Eastwood opened his speech with the line,  “I know what you’re thinking”, referencing the number of .44 Magnum rounds his “Dirty Harry” Callahan character fired in the 1971 film. Eastwood improvised much of his speech, addressing an empty chair, which was supposed to represent Obama. The speech lasted 12 minutes, despite being scheduled to last just five. 

After directing the beginning of the speech to the empty chair, Eastwood spoke directly to delegates and the audience, saying:

“We own this country…it’s not politicians owning it; politicians are employees of ours … And whether you’re Democrat or whether you’re a Republican or whether you’re Libertarian or whatever, you’re the best. And we should not ever forget that. And when somebody does not do the job, we got to let ’em go.” 

The speech ended with another reference to “Dirty Harry.”

Eastwood’s speech was seen by more than 30 million people.

Former President Trump is now breaking his silence
on the assassination attempt against him during a rally on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania.

“I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,” Trump told the New York Post. “I’m supposed to be dead.”

“The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this, he called it a miracle,” Trump also told the newspaper onboard his private plane while heading to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for this week’s Republican National Convention. “By luck or by God, many people are saying it’s by God I’m still here.”

Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, retired Army captain and West Point graduate, joined Brian Kilmeade on “Fox & Friends”
this morning to discuss Secret Service planning to brief lawmakers over concerns with rally safety preparedness following Trump’s assassination attempt.

“The biggest question is, is how does an assailant get on a rooftop that close to the former and future president of the United States?,” Hunt asked.

He added that being within 150 yards of anything is an “easy shot.”

“With my AR, I could absolutely make that shot,” Hunt said.

When Kilmeade asked if he were in Trump’s situation, would he return to rally events, Hunt said, “If I know President Trump, of course he’s going to.”

“God had his hands on him in that moment and I know what it feels like to get shot at,” Hunt said. He revealed that after he was fired at during missions, he felt a “reinvigorated spirit” for life and that he expects to see the same from Trump this week at the 2024 RNC.

While Republicans in Wisconsin and New Hampshire have long traded fire over which state is the birthplace of the GOP – which stands for Grand Old Party – there is no dispute over where the party’s first national convention took place.

The party, which was founded in the mid-19th Century, held its first national nominating convention at Musical Fund Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from June 17 to 19, 1856.

The party – formed just two years earlier – nominated then-Sen. John C. Fremont of California for president. Fremont was an explorer who had also served as a military officer in the Mexican-American War. Former Sen. William L. Dayton of New Jersey was nominated for vice president.

Democrat James Buchanan, who defeated then-President Franklin Pierce at the Democratic convention, went on to defeat Fremont in the general election, in a three-way contest that also included American (Know Nothing) Party nominee Millard Fillmore. 

What is a delegate?

During the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, delegates from all over the country gather in one location and elect their respective nominee for president. Delegates are traditionally elected by their state party, mostly including local officials and party members, and they are sent to the convention on behalf of their state. Each party has a set number of delegates available — 4,672 Democrats and 2,429 Republicans — a certain percentage of whom are referred to as “superdelegates.”

What is a superdelegate?

Both parties use superdelegates slightly differently, but the key concept is that a superdelegate is one who is not bound to vote for their assigned candidate. While a Democrat delegate from Texas is bound to vote for the Democrat who won the state of Texas, a superdelegate from Texas can vote for whoever they wish, but only in a contested convention, as established in 2018. Additionally, while Democrat delegates are local party leaders and officials, superdelegates make up members of the Democratic elite. They are senators, representatives, party leaders, prominent officials, etc.

Republican superdelegates are more hamstrung. Each state automatically gets three, assigned by the RNC, and they are bound to vote for the candidate who won their state. They are also not allowed to vote in the first round of voting, limiting any power they have to a contested convention, as established in 2016.

A new national poll conducted in the wake of the Biden-Trump presidential debate has found that nearly 80% of voters are concerned about Biden “not having the necessary mental and physical health to be a president for a second term.”

The NBC News survey of 800 registered voters, which was conducted over July 7-9 and before the assassination attempt against former President Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania this past weekend, has Trump leading Biden by 45% to 43% in a head-to-head race. 

While the matchup remains close, the poll found that 62% of Democratic voters wish someone else was at the top of their party’s ticket instead of Biden and that 79% of all voters are worried about the 81-year-old Biden’s mental and physical capabilities.

Only 50% of respondents had the same mental and physical fitness concerns about Trump, who is 78.

Fox News’ Greg Norman contributed to this report.

Former President Trump told Fox News that he will be announcing his choice for his running mate on Monday during the Republican National Convention.

“He did confirm that he’s going to make a VP choice today,” Fox News’ Bret Baier said, noting Trump said so on the phone.

The frontrunners for Trump’s running mate are considered to be Sens. JD Vance, R-Ohio, and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., as well as Gov. Doug Burgum, R-N.D.

The former president has held out and did not announce his running mate prior to the RNC, which is beginning on Monday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

There were initial concerns that the RNC may need to be postponed after there was an
assassination attempt against Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday. However, Trump refused to push back the event.

Trump’s choice of running mate will come after months and months of speculation that began during the Republican presidential primary race before he became the presumptive GOP nominee.

Democrats have pressed pause on their efforts to replace President Biden as the 2024 Democratic nominee in the aftermath of the assassination attempt against former President Trump, with one lawmaker saying they’ve all resigned themselves “to a second Trump presidency,” according to one report.

The concern among many Democratic lawmakers surrounding Biden’s cognitive decline and his ability to defeat Trump in the election has taken a “back seat” as they focus on their own security and unifying language for a country reeling from the attempt on Trump’s life over the weekend, Axios reported Sunday.

A growing number of House Democrats and one Democratic senator have called on Biden to withdraw from the race since his debate debacle last month. However, Trump’s attempted assassination
may have dwindled their momentum, the report suggests.

Fox News’ Yael Halon contributed to this report.

A prominent security presence outside the residence of Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, over the weekend heightened speculation around former President Trump’s pick for vice president.

Trump survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally on Saturday, reportedly suffering a gunshot wound to his right ear in the shooting that took the life of one rally goer and injured several others.

After the incident, several black trucks and police vehicles were reportedly seen outside of Vance’s residence as he remains on of the top three candidates on Trump’s shortlist for vice president.

A spokesperson for Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, however, told an NBC reporter that he approved the security presence at Vance’s residence on Saturday, with sources saying that it was not Secret Service, but state state law enforcement.

Vance, along with Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Gov. Doug Burgum, R-S.D., remain on the top of list for Trump’s potential vice president.

Fox News’ Bret Baier reports that senior GOP officials indicate Trump could announce his running mate as soon as 1p.m. ET Monday after the Republican National Convention (RNC) commences.

​​Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., a candidate being floated as a potential vice president for Trump, delivered a heart-felt speech at the 2020 Republican National Convention (RNC). Scott talked about his upbringing and eventually being elected to serve in the Senate, which he described as an “American journey.”

“Regardless of the challenges presented to us…every four years…Americans come together to vote…To share stories of what makes our nation strong, and the lessons we have learned that can strengthen it further for our children and grandchildren,” Scott said, adding that “while this election is between Donald Trump and Joe Biden…it is not solely about Donald Trump and Joe Biden.”

Scott also took aim at President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris — the then-Democratic ticket.

“Make no mistake: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris want a cultural revolution. A fundamentally different America.”

“If we let them…they will turn our country into a socialist utopia…and history has taught us that path only leads to pain and misery, especially for hard-working people hoping to rise.”

Federal criminal charges against former President Trump for mishandling classified documents were dismissed on Monday by a Florida judge.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon
granted a motion to dismiss the superseding indictment against him, based on a violation of the Appointments Clause of the Constitution.

Trump’s defense team had filed the motion, making the argument that Special Counsel Jack Smith was unlawfully appointed.

Justice Clarence Thomas notably mentioned the issue of Smith’s appointment to the Trump investigations in his concurrence to the Supreme Court immunity ruling earlier this month.

Cannon’s decision to grant the motion agreed that the critical Appointments Clause gives Congress a considered role in determining the propriety of vesting appointment power for inferior officers. 

It was argued that the special counsel’s position effectively usurped that important legislative authority, transferring it to a head of department, and in the process threatened the structural liberty inherent in the separation of powers. 

Cannon explained that there is a legal route by which to appoint Smith to the role, writing that he could be appointed and confirmed through the default method prescribed in the Appointments Clause. This, she notes, is what Congress has directed for United States attorneys throughout American history. Congress could also authorize his appointment through enactment of positive statutory law consistent with the Appointments Clause, she said.

Fox News’ David Spunt and Jake Gibson contributed to this report.

Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman joins ‘Fox & Friends’ to discuss security preparations for the Republican National Convention (RNC) following the assassination attempt on former President Trump.

“We plan as much as we can plan in regards to that there is always going to be something that can throw a little screwball, but then we have to have the resources to be able to respond,” the chief said.

Norman added that security is “continuing to work with our partners” and “continuing to communicate in regards to that this is a respected event in regards to that we need to be able to work with each other and have that communication. But also, resources are here. We’re making sure we have the ability to respond the way that we need to based on behaviors and based on the intelligence we are receiving.”

The RNC will commence Monday, just days after former President Trump survived an assassination attempt.

MILWAUKEE, WI – The Republican National Committee kicks off in a couple of hours, just two days after former President Donald Trump, the GOP’s standard-bearer, survived an assassination attempt.

And the Saturday shooting at Trump’s rally in western Pennsylvania – where one spectator was killed and two more critically injured, and the former president visibly bloodied after a bullet grazed his ear – has altered the tone and raised the stakes of the convention.

At the four-day confab which is being held in swing state Wisconsin’s largest city, Trump will formally become the Republican Party’s presidential nominee, and the official roll call will take place during the opening session Monday.

But as the convention gets underway, all eyes are on the former president as Trump’s expected to announce his choice for running mate, which would bring to a conclusion weeks of vetting and intense media speculation.

Fox News’ Bret Baier reports that senior GOP officials indicate a running mate announcement could occur soon after the convention is gaveled into order at 1pm ET. “It will be part of the hooplah today kicking things off”.

Considered the front-runners for the Republican vice presidential nomination are Sens. JD Vance of Ohio, Marco Rubio of Florida, and Gov. Doug Burgum of North Dakota.

Others thought to be in contention are Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, and Reps. Elise Stefanik of New York and Byron Donalds of Florida.

MILWAUKEE – The Republican National Convention
 kicks off on Monday, just two days after former President Donald Trump, the GOP’s standard-bearer, survived an assassination attempt.

And the Saturday shooting at Trump’s rally in western Pennsylvania – where one spectator was killed and two more critically injured, and the former president visibly bloodied after a bullet grazed his ear – has altered the tone and raised the stakes of the convention.

U.S. Secret Service and other officials announced on the eve of the convention that there are no plans to expand the security perimeter and that there are no known threats.

“The arena’s set, the security is here and we feel very comfortable that we’re working with the Secret Service,” Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley said in an interview on “Fox News Sunday.”

The last Republican National Convention was held in Charlotte, N.C.,, but was far from a traditional one, taking place during the height of the coronavirus pandemic in late August 2020.

The RNC and the Trump campaign canceled the originally planned gathering due to the COVID pandemic, which had been set for Jacksonville, Florida, in July.

The convention’s overall theme was  “Honoring the Great American Story” with different nights focusing on America as the “Land of Promise,” the “Land of Opportunity,” the “Land of Heroes,” and the “Land of Greatness.” Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., Trump family members, and law enforcement officials were among the featured speakers.

The Trump campaign raked in $76 million during the lightly attended, largely virtual convention.  

The 2016 GOP convention took place in Cleveland, Ohio. Many feared a contested convention, amid concerns within the party over Trump, but his nomination was ultimately not challenged from the floor. 

On July 19, 2016, the convention formally nominated Donald Trump for president and then-Indiana Gov. Mike Pence
for vice president. They went on to win the general election, defeating the Democratic ticket of Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine. 

The Republican National Convention’s high-profile attendees will include former 2024 GOP presidential candidates who have since become some of former President Trump’s strongest allies.

That reportedly includes North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott – both of whom have generated buzz as possible Trump running mates.

Vivek Ramaswamy, among the first Republicans to drop out and endorse Trump, is also reportedly expected to be there.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
, with whom Trump had a bitter feud, is also expected to attend and even speak at the convention.A notable exclusion, however, is former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley. The ex-Trump administration official is the only woman who challenged Trump for the 2024 nomination and the final major challenger to drop out.

A Haley spokesperson told Politico that she “was not invited, and she’s fine with that. Trump deserves the convention he wants. She’s made it clear she’s voting for him and wishes him the best.”

Footage from former President Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania shows rallygoers attempting to alert police to the shooter on a nearby rooftop before shots were fired on Saturday.

The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, could be seen climbing into position in the video. He soon fired several shots at Trump, striking the former president and three crowd members, one of whom was killed.

Local law enforcement had responsibility for the building where Crooks was positioned, Fox News has learned. The building was a “rally point” for one of the local counter sniper teams, according to a federal law enforcement official familiar with the security plans. 

The source also said that a team was actually stationed in, or near, the building. There were four counter sniper teams at the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, including two from the Secret Service and two from local law enforcement.

The source also added that the Butler County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed that one officer climbed up onto the roof, saw Crooks armed with a rifle and retreated. Soon after that, Crooks began to fire, according to the source. Moments later, a Secret Service counter sniper fired on, and killed, Crooks.

Former President Trump reflected on the now world-famous photo of him holding his fist in the air after an assassination attempt during an interview published on Monday, quipping you “usually have to die” for it to become iconic.

“A lot of people say it’s the most iconic photo they’ve ever seen,” Trump told the New York Post. “They’re right and I didn’t die. Usually you have to die to have an iconic picture.”

Trump was shot in the ear on Saturday in an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

“I just wanted to keep speaking, but I just got shot,” the former president said.

The photo of Trump has been re-posted across social media following the shooting and was on front pages across the country and world Sunday. After shots were fired at the president, Secret Service agents surrounded him, and the former president was seen pumping his fist in the air and telling the crowd to “fight.” 

Trump told the Post that he “wasn’t supposed to be here” in the interview following the assassination attempt. Experts have said Trump was extraordinarily lucky to survive, as just a few centimeters and a coincidental head turn were the difference between life and death.

The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed by Secret Service agents after he opened fire. 

One attendee, Corey Comperatore, 50, a former fire chief of Buffalo Township, was killed, and two others were critically injured at the rally. It’s being investigated as an assassination attempt and an act of domestic terrorism, and the shooter’s exact motives remain unknown. 

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News’ Hanna Panreck

UFC President Dana White posted about former President Trump in the immediate aftermath of Saturday’s assassination attempt during a rally in Pennsylvania.

White, who is reportedly set to speak at the Republican National Convention, posted an iconic image of a bloodied Trump being escorted offstage following the shooting and called him an “American bad a–.”

“I’m on a plane right now flying to Italy and my phone has been blowing up with text messages from people informing me @realdonaldtrump was shot,” White wrote on Instagram Saturday. “I am absolutely SICK to my stomach and in complete shock. I still don’t know how bad it is or if he’s ok. But @mickmaynard2 just sent me this picture and I’m praying President Trump is 100% healthy. 

“This image perfectly reflects EXACTLY the man I know Donald Trump to be. He is the toughest, most resilient, AMERICAN BAD A– on this planet. I hope the weak coward that shot him gets what he deserves, and I can’t WAIT to stand up on stage with him on Thursday and introduce him at the Republican National Convention and tell the WORLD exactly the character of the friend and man I KNOW!!”

The would-be assassin was identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks and a federal investigation was launched in the hours after the shooting.

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos

CBS “Face the Nation” host Margaret Brennan addressed her comments chiding former President Trump for not “lowering the temperature” with a statement he issued following an assassination attempt against him on Saturday. 

“Our country has been living in a heightened threat environment for some time now. Yesterday’s assassination attempt against Mr. Trump confirmed our greatest fears. Last night, we reported on inflammatory statements made by some of our elected or political leaders and some of those who had called for calm,” the anchor began.

“Mr. Trump issued a statement after his traumatic experience, and I noted that his statement did not include a call to lower the temperature. It was not meant as a critique, but rather an observation I made in the moment of that breaking news,” Brennan continued.

She concluded, “Today, he said, that, ‘In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand united’ so, in that spirit, let’s all hope for a safe campaign for all of those involved. And the former president and his family deserve our empathy after what happened. I wish him and his family the best as he recovers from the attempt on his life.”

Brennan came under fire Saturday night for calling out the former president’s Truth Social statement shortly after being rushed off a Pennsylvania rally stage bleeding from his right ear.

“He is recovering from these injuries now, this was a traumatic event, no doubt, for him,” Brennan said. “But I did notice there was no call for lowering the temperature, condemning all political violence, and really trying to signal to his supporters as well not to retaliate or have any kind of escalation here.”

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin ordered flags to be flown at half-staff on Monday in honor of Corey Comperatore, who was slain in the attempted assassination of former President Trump on Saturday.

Flags are to be lowered from noon on Monday through Tuesday evening, the order reads.

“Virginia stands in solidarity with and extends prayers to all Pennsylvanians, especially those who remain in critical condition and their families,” Youngkin said in a statement.

Comperatore was killed while shielding his wife and daughters at Trump’s rally in Butler, PA. Two other rallygoers were also shot, and they remain in critical condition.

The shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired on Trump and the crowd from the rooftop of a nearby industrial building. The investigation into his motives and the attack is still ongoing.

Trump himself was grazed by the bullet on his right ear. He is moving forward with campaign plans and is attending this week’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Local law enforcement had responsibility for the building where Thomas Matthew Crooks fired several shots at former President Donald Trump on Saturday, according to a federal law enforcement official familiar with the security plans.

The building Crooks fired from was a “rally point” for one of the local counter sniper teams, according to the source, who also pointed out that team was actually stationed in, or near, the building. There were four counter sniper teams at the Trump rally in Butler, Pa on Saturday, two from the Secret Service and two from local law enforcement.

This source also added that the Butler County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed that one officer climbed up onto the roof, saw Crooks armed with a rifle and retreated. Soon after that, Crooks began to fire, according to the source. Moments later a Secret Service counter sniper fired on, and killed, Crooks.

Fox News’ Jake Gibson and David Spunt contributed to this report

MSNBC pulled its flagship AM program “Morning Joe” from airing on Monday in the wake of the assassination attempt on former President Trump.

Viewers who tuned in Monday expecting to see the staunchly anti-Trump program, hosted by Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, were greeted instead by continued NBC News special reporting on the attempt on Trump’s life
on Saturday. A spokesperson said “Morning Joe” will resume airing on Tuesday.

According to a CNN report, a person familiar with the decision said it was made in part over fear that one of the show’s many guests over a four-hour broadcast “might make an inappropriate comment on live television that could be used to assail the program and network as a whole.”

According to CNN’s report, Cesar Conde, the chairman of NBCUniversal News Group, decided to yank the show in consultation with MSNBC president Rashida Jones, as well as the show’s co-hosts.

The call by MSNBC to keep “Morning Joe” off the airwaves shocked political observers, with some conservatives saying it demonstrated a lack of trust in one of its most high-profile shows to sensitively cover a fraught situation.

“The fact that Morning Joe’s own network can’t trust its flagship brand not to spew reckless and inflammatory crap during breaking news tells you all you need to know about the credibility of the MSNBC line-up,” a veteran Republican consultant told Fox News Digital.

The news stirred up the left, too.

Liberal journalist Jeff Jarvis fumed on X, “What the f—, MSNBC? You preempted your excellent weekend programming… and now you’ve silenced [Morning Joe] in favor of your anodyne streaming news cos-play called Now? This is when we need the analysis and conversation these shows bring us (yes, with controversy; that is how public discourse works through it: with discussion). It is shocking that NBC/Comcast do not understand their own company’s programs and raison d’etre.”

Scarborough and Brzezinski have a complicated history with Trump. The two hosts stood out in their bullishness on his political chances in 2015 and 2016 and frequently interviewed him on their show, but they became two of his most vehement critics after he became president.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ David Rutz and Brian Flood

A rabbi and head of the American Faith Coalition is speaking out about the “open miracle” related to former President Trump’s close call at the Butler, Pennsylvania, rally on Saturday.

“I cannot see the recent attempted assassination of former President Trump as anything but an open miracle that has left an indelible mark on our collective consciousness,” Rabbi Pincas Taylor of Plantation, Florida, told Fox News Digital on Monday morning. 

He said this is why, “regardless of our political affiliations, we must stand united in condemning all forms of political violence, as such actions are a threat to the very fabric of our democracy and to the principles upon which this great nation was founded.”

After shots rang out at the rally on Saturday and Secret Service agents covered Trump on the floor of the stage, the former president, once he was standing again, gave the crowd a fist before he was ushered offstage.

He was taken to a medical facility and declared “safe” afterward. He is now already in Milwaukee for the start of the Republican National Convention.

Taylor added that “in the face of this miracle” on Saturday, “we must also recognize the need to tone down the political rhetoric that has become all too common in our society.”

He shared with Fox News Digital his belief that “words have power — and when used irresponsibly, they can stoke actions that threaten our unity and peace.”

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Maureen Mackey

CNN initially reported the Saturday assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump as if the former president had merely fallen off a stage
– a characterization that swiftly earned condemnation from conservative lawmakers and those commenting on social media.

“Secret Service rushes Trump off stage after he falls at rally,” CNN’s headline read shortly after news broke that there was possible gunfire at a Pennsylvania Trump rally. 

The headline angered conservative lawmakers, as well as others on social media, who described the headline as “conscious deception” and “disgraceful.” 

“‘Falls at rally’? Is this a real headline? This is disgraceful,” Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., posted to X on Friday evening. 

“Even in a horrifying moment such as this they just can’t help themselves,” Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., posted. 

While addressing the crowd in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday evening, Trump was seen abruptly grabbing his right ear before ducking and he hit the ground on stage. Secret Service personnel quickly surrounded Trump before he was escorted off the stage, with his right ear covered in blood. 

Before he was ushered out, Trump appeared to yell “Fight!” while giving a fist pump to the crowd to indicate he was alright.

First lady Jill Biden spoke with former first lady Melania Trump over the phone on Sunday after the assassination attempt against former President Trump, Fox News confirmed.

The White House and Trump campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.

The details of Jill and Melania’s conversation have yet to be released. Biden also called Trump himself to express his condolences just hours after the attempt on Trump’s life Saturday.

Biden addressed the nation from the Oval Office on Sunday evening, calling for unity and condemning the attack alongside members of his cabinet.

“My fellow Americans, I want to speak to you tonight about the need for us to lower the temperature in our politics,” Biden said. “Do remember, while we may disagree, we are not enemies. We’re neighbors, we’re friends, coworkers, citizens, and most importantly, we are fellow Americans. We must stand together.”

The attempted assassination of Trump “calls on all of us to take a step back, take stock of where we are,” he added.

Biden said he was “grateful” that Trump is “doing well” and said he is keeping “him and his family in our prayers.” He also extended “our deepest condolences” to the family of Corey Comperatore, who was fatally shot as he shielded his wife and daughters from the bullets.

Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report

The politicians who are rumored to be in consideration to serve as former President Donald Trump’s running mate in the 2024 election swiftly took to social media to show support for the presumptive GOP presidential nominee after an attempted assassination this weekend in Butler, Pennsylvania. 

Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, who is considered a frontrunner to become the Republicans’ vice presidential nominee across three betting markets, blasted the rhetoric that had been emanating from the Biden campaign and its supporters.

“Today is not just some isolated incident,” Vance posted on X. “The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.”

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum also offered his support for the president on Saturday. 

“We all know President Trump is stronger than his enemies. Today he showed it,” Burgum wrote on X.

One of Trump’s most stubborn challengers for the 2024 Republican nomination, former U.N. ambassador and ex-South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, also took to social media. It emerged on Sunday that Haley will speak at the Republican National Convention on Tuesday – even though as recently as last week she wasn’t planning to attend the event, which kicks off Monday in Milwaukee.

Haley wrote on X: “This should horrify every freedom loving American.”

“Violence against presidential candidates must never be normalized,” she wrote. “We are lifting up Donald Trump, the entire Trump family, and all in attendance in prayer.”

https://www.foxnews.com/us/potential-trump-vp-picks-react-attempted-assassination-stronger-than-his-enemies

https://www.foxnews.com/us/potential-trump-vp-picks-react-attempted-assassination-stronger-than-his-enemies

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Jamie Joseph

Amid a sea of inflammatory political rhetoric this election season, President Biden and White House Cabinet members unequivocally condemned
political violence after the attempted assassination of former President Trump over the weekend, with many also expressing sympathy for Trump and condolences to the family of a spectator killed during the attack.

Vice President Harris wrote on X that “assassination attempts have no place in our nation,” adding that she and her husband, Doug Emhoff, were praying for the family of the deceased victim, identified as a former fire chief, Corey Comperatore.

“As @POTUS said, we must work toward unity as Americans. Assassination attempts have no place in our nation, or anywhere. Doug and I pray for the family of the victim who was senselessly killed yesterday and hope for a speedy recovery for those injured.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Attorney General Merrick Garland, Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas also condemned “political violence in America.” 

“I’m shocked and saddened by the shooting at former President Trump’s rally and grateful that he is safe. As @POTUS said, there is no place for political violence in America and we must all condemn it,” Blinken posted to X on Saturday night.

“This is not the way that we resolve our differences in America — and it must never be. I’m relieved that reports indicate former President Trump is safe, and I am praying for him and his family and everyone affected by this appalling incident,” he said.

This is an excerpt from an article by Fox News’ Jamie Joseph

A law enforcement expert joined “Fox News @ Night” on Sunday to detail what happened when an officer at former President Trump’s Pennsylvania rally allegedly confronted the gunman on a rooftop before the deadly shooting on Saturday.

Retired Las Vegas Police Lt. Randy Sutton says the officer was alerted to the gunman, now identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, and was attempting to confront him on the roof, but there was “no ladder” or access point.

The officer decided to reach Crooks by climbing onto the back of another officer, according to Sutton’s sources.

“As he was lifting himself up over the roof line, suddenly the suspect pointed his gun at him, the officer ducked down, and when he did, he fell off the back of the other officer,” Sutton said.

Sutton explained that this was not a situation where an officer committed a “cowardly act,” dismantling an earlier report that the officer possibly retreated when he confronted Crooks.

“This is an officer who made an observation, saw that he was about to be shot, and fell off the back of the other officer,” Sutton said.

Fox News’ Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report

Former President Trump said he is “supposed to be dead” after surviving an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, over the weekend.

Trump described the incident to the New York Post as a “very surreal experience” that nearly killed him as he prepares for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this, he called it a miracle,” Trump told the outlet.

“I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,” the former president added. “I’m supposed to be dead.”

He also addressed confusion about his shoes, as the video of the incident showed agents attempting to rush him off the stage to safety while he says, “Wait, I want to get my shoes.”

“The agents hit me so hard that my shoes fell off, and my shoes are tight,” Trump said.

The former president also praised the Secret Service for their swift action and for killing the shooter.

“They took him out with one shot right between the eyes,” he said. “They did a fantastic job. It’s surreal for all of us.

“He spoke about the photo of him raising his fist and shouting “Fight” three times as the agents attempted to drag him off stage to safety.

“A lot of people say it’s the most iconic photo they’ve ever seen,” Trump told the NYP. “They’re right and I didn’t die. Usually, you have to die to have an iconic picture.”

Trump is scheduled to speak at the RNC on Thursday evening.