House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has described the attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life as a “miracle” that he survived. In the aftermath of the assassination attempt at his Pennsylvania rally on July 13, Mr. Johnson has called for a decrease in heated rhetoric from all sides.
“We’ve got to turn the rhetoric down. We’ve got to turn the temperature down in this country,” Mr. Johnson emphasized in an interview with NBC News on July 14. “We need leaders of all parties, on both sides, to call that out and make sure that happens so that we can go forward and maintain our free society that we all are blessed to have.”
“And we must make clear that, that this is part of our system,” Mr. Johnson stressed. “We can have vigorous debate, but it needs to end there.”
The Louisiana Republican also highlighted the public criticism President Trump faced regarding his election.
“There’s no figure in American history, at least in the modern era, maybe since Lincoln, who’s been so vilified and really persecuted by the media, Hollywood elites, political figures, you know, even the legal system.
“When the message goes out constantly that the election of Donald Trump would be a threat to democracy, that the republic would end, I mean it, it heats up the environment. We cannot do that,” he stated.
Mr. Johnson disclosed that he had discussed the shooting with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and assured that Congress will thoroughly investigate any security lapses.
Mr. Johnson expressed his belief that it was a “miracle” that President Trump survived the shooting.
“I believe that God spared him, and that bullet went just apparently a millimeter from doing real and permanent damage to him or perhaps taking his life. And it’s just kind of a surreal thing,” he remarked.
The presumptive GOP presidential nominee sustained injuries in the shooting. Video footage of the incident captures the former president speaking at the rally and then turning his head slightly before being struck in the right ear.
President Trump stated he believes God shielded him from assassination. “We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness,” he shared in a Truth Social post.
One of the attendees at the rally, 50-year-old volunteer firefighter Corey Comperatore, lost his life. Two other rally attendees—identified as David Dutch and James Copenhaver—sustained injuries.
Authorities identified the suspect as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks from the village of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. The FBI have not yet determined a motive but have not ruled out domestic terrorism.
The Secret Service has denied claims that a member of President Trump’s security team had requested additional security resources but was denied.
President Biden has also denounced the attempted assassination of his political rival and urged everyone to “lower the temperature” in the country’s politics.
“There is no place in America for this kind of violence, for any violence ever. Period. No exceptions,” he declared in an Oval Office address.
Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
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