周日晚上，美国总统乔·拜登在椭圆形办公室向全国发表讲话，重申了自周六晚上前总统唐纳德·特朗普遇刺以来他一直发出的团结呼吁。
“我的美国同胞们，今晚我想对你们说的是，我们需要降低我们政治的温度，并记住，尽管我们可能不同意，但我们不是敌人，我们是邻居，我们是朋友、同事、公民，最重要的是，我们是美国同胞。我们必须站在一起，”这是他总统任期内第三次发表这样的演讲。
“昨天在宾夕法尼亚州唐纳德·特朗普(Donald Trump)集会上发生的枪击事件，呼吁我们所有人后退一步，审视我们现在所处的位置，以及我们将如何前进。谢天谢地，前特朗普没有受重伤，”他继续说道。
“今晚，我想谈谈我们所知道的:一名前总统被枪杀，一名美国公民被杀害，而只是行使他的自由来支持他选择的候选人，”指的是《旁观者》被杀害。“我们不能，我们绝不能在美国走这条路，”他说。
“暴力从来都不是解决问题的办法，”他说，“无论是两党的国会议员遭到袭击和枪击，还是1月6日暴民袭击国会大厦，或是前众议院议长南希·佩洛西(Nancy Pelosi)的配偶遭到野蛮袭击，或是信息、恐吓和选举官员，或是针对在任州长的绑架阴谋，或是对唐纳德·特朗普(Donald Trump)的未遂暗杀。”
他继续说道，“在美国，我们通过投票来解决我们的分歧。你知道，这就是我们在战场上的做法，不是用子弹。改变美国的力量应该永远掌握在人民手中，而不是一个潜在的刺客手中。”
周日早些时候，拜登说，“昨晚我和唐纳德·特朗普通了电话。我真诚地感谢他一切都好，正在康复。我们进行了一次简短但愉快的谈话。吉尔和我会为他和他的家人祈祷，”他在记者聚集在白宫罗斯福厅前谈到暗杀事件的后果时说。
“暗杀企图违背了我们作为一个国家所代表的一切。这不是我们作为一个国家的身份。不是美国的。我们不能允许这种事情发生，”他继续说道。
“团结是所有目标中最难以捉摸的，但眼下没有什么比团结更重要了。我们会争论，我们会有分歧，这不会改变。但是，我们不会忘记我们是美国人的事实。
他告诫不要猜测枪手的动机，称目前尚不清楚。
他说，在国会共和党人要求举行调查听证会的情况下，他已经下令对宾夕法尼亚州政治集会的安保工作进行独立审查。
他最后表示，他将在周日晚上向全国发表讲话，白宫随后表示，他将在美国东部时间晚上8点在椭圆形办公室发表讲话。
拜登在加兰、马约尔卡斯和副总统卡玛拉·哈里斯的陪同下，没有回答任何问题。
不久前，司法部长梅里克·加兰在白宫情况室向他作了简报。国土安全部部长亚历杭德罗·马约卡斯、美国联邦调查局局长克里斯托弗·雷、国家安全顾问杰克·沙利文和特勤局局长金·谢特尔。
白宫发布了一份x上的简报照片。
今天上午，拜登总统和哈里斯副总统在白宫情况室听取了国土安全部和执法官员的最新简报。pic.twitter.com/TiEpc94DHM
—白宫(@WhiteHouse)2024年7月14日
自特朗普遭枪击的消息首次爆出以来，拜登不得不小心行事，因为他不仅是总统，也是候选人和唐纳德·特朗普的政治对手。
在越来越多的人质疑他的精神和身体是否适合这份工作的情况下，他必须显示出他能掌控这场危机。
枪击事件发生后不久，他就被告知，在一些基本事实为人所知后，他最初发表了一份声明，称他对特朗普“安全”感到“感激”。
然后，他在电视直播中向记者和全国发表了匆忙安排的讲话-说他试图给前总统打电话-他特别称他为“唐纳德”-谴责袭击并呼吁团结。
“这种暴力在美国没有立足之地。太恶心了。太恶心了。这是我们必须团结这个国家的原因之一，”他说。
“但这种想法，这种认为美国存在政治暴力或像这样的暴力的想法，是前所未闻的，是不恰当的。我们——每个人，每个人都必须谴责它，”他说。
随后，他迅速改变计划，从特拉华州飞回白宫。
当他抵达安德鲁斯联合基地时，值得注意的是，当他走下空军一号时，拜登的最高特勤局特工离他有多近，当总统走下台阶时，他就站在几步之外。
通常，拜登会在他的安保人员走下飞机之前到达这些台阶的底部。
白宫正前方的拉斐特公园周日早上仍然关闭，因为特勤局在白宫周围的姿态明显提高。
周日下午，白宫表示，拜登正在重新安排他原定于周一前往得克萨斯州奥斯汀的行程，他将在LBJ总统图书馆举行的民权法案60周年纪念活动上发表主旨演讲。
Biden calls on Americans to 'lower the temperature in our politics' in wake of Trump assassination attempt
In an Oval Office address to the nation Sunday night, President Joe Biden repeated calls for unity that he's made since the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump Saturday evening.
"My fellow Americans, I want to speak to you tonight about the need for us to lower the temperature in our politics and to remember, while we may disagree, we are not enemies, we’re neighbors, we’re friends, co-workers, citizens, and most importantly, we are fellow Americans. We must stand together," he said, in only the third such speech in his presidency.
"Yesterday's shooting at Donald Trump's rally in Pennsylvania calls on all of us to take a step back, take stock of where we are, how are we go forward from here. Thankfully, former Trump is not seriously injured," he continued.
"Tonight, I want to speak to what we do know: a former president was shot, an American citizen killed, while simply exercising his freedom to support the candidate of his choosing," referring to the spectator killed. "We cannot, we must not go down this road in America," he said.
"Violence has never been the answer," he said, "whether it's with members of Congress of both parties being targeted and shot, or a violent mob attacking the Capitol on January 6th or a brutal attack on the spouse of the former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, or information and intimidation and election officials or the kidnapping plot against a sitting governor, or an attempted assassination on Donald Trump."
He continued, saying, "in America, we resolve our differences at the ballot box. You know, that's how we do it at the battle box, not with bullets. The power to change America should always rest in the hands of the people, not in the hands of a would-be assassin."
Earlier Sunday, Biden said, "Last night I spoke with Donald Trump. I am sincerely grateful that he’s doing well, and recovering. We had a short but good conversation. Jill and I are keeping him and his family in our prayers," he said, speaking about the assassination aftermath before reporters gathered the White House Roosevelt Room.
"An assassination attempt is contrary to everything we stand for as -- as a nation, everything. It's not who we are as a nation. It's not American. And we cannot allow this to happen," he continued.
"Unity is the most elusive goal of all, but nothing is important than that right now, unity. We’ll debate and we’ll disagree, it's not-- that's not going to change. But it's going to -- we're going to not lose sight of the fact who we are as Americans," he said.
He cautioned against speculation about the shooter's motive, saying it wasn't yet known.
And he said he had ordered an independent review of how security was handled at the political rally in Pennsylvania amid congressional Republican demands for investigative hearings.
He ended by saying he would speak to the nation Sunday night and the White House said afterward his address from the Oval Office would take place at 8 p.m. ET.
Biden, who was flanked by Garland, Mayorkas and Vice President Kamala Harris, did not take questions.
President Joe Biden speaks from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, July 14, 202...Show more
He had been briefed shortly before in the White House Situation Room by Attorney General Merrick Garland. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, FBI director Christopher Wray, national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle.
The White House posted aphoto of the briefing on X.
This morning, President Biden and Vice President Harris received an updated briefing in the White House Situation Room from homeland security and law enforcement officials.pic.twitter.com/TiEpc94DHM
— The White House (@WhiteHouse)July 14, 2024
Biden has had to tread carefully since news of the Trump shooting first broke because not only is he president -- but also a candidate and Donald Trump's political opponent.
He must show he's in command of the crisis as well amid growing questions about his mental and physical fitness for the job.
MORE: Trump shooting live updates: Gun traced to suspect's father, was legally purchased
Informed shortly after the shooting happened, he initially put out a statement -- after some basic facts became known -- saying he was "grateful" that Trump was "safe."
He then made hastily arranged remarks to reporters and the nation on live television -- saying he had tried to phone the former president -- whom he notably called "Donald" -- condemning the attack and calling for unity.
"There's no place in America for this kind of violence. It’s sick. It’s sick. It’s one of the reasons why we have to unite this country," he said.
"But the idea, the idea that there's political violence or violence in America like this, is just unheard of, it’s just not appropriate. We – everybody, everybody must condemn it," he said.
He then quickly changed plans and flew back from Delaware to the White House.
When he arrived at Joint Base Andrews, it was notable how close Biden’s top Secret Service agent was to him as he stepped off Air Force One, staying just a few steps away as the president walked down the steps.
Typically, Biden makes it to the bottom of those steps before his security detail steps off the plane.
Lafayette Park, directly in front of the White House, remained closed Sunday morning as the Secret Service posture was notably heightened around the White House.
Sunday afternoon, the White House said said Biden was rescheduling his planned Monday trip to Austin, Texas, where he was set to deliver the keynote address at a commemoration for the 60th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act at the LBJ Presidential Library.
