US Edition
‘God alone’ saved me, says Donald Trump
Donald Trump has said “God alone” saved his life from an assassination attempt, as he called Americans to unite against political violence.
The former president struck a statesmanlike tone after narrowly escaping death when 20-year-old registered Republican, Thomas Matthew Crooks, opened fire at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania.
One attendee at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania where the gun attack took place was killed and two more were hospitalised, investigators said on Sunday.
Sending his “love” to victims of the shooting on Saturday, Trump said he was praying for the wounded and called on Americans to remain “resilient” in the face of “wickedness”.
The presumptive Republican nominee thanked his security team for protecting him after a bullet “ripped through” his ear, causing a minor injury. Imagery of the attack showed that the rounds missed Trump’s head by mere inches.
The incident cast a dark shadow over the presidential election race, as politicians on both sides called for an end to toxic political discourse.
Trump called for the country to reject political division, even as his own allies blamed Joe Biden for the attack.
“Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening,” he said.
“We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our faith and defiant in the face of wickedness.”
He added: “In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand united, and show our true character as Americans, remaining strong and determined, and not allowing evil to win.”
Melania, his wife, said she had realised her life was “on the brink of devastating change” as the “violent bullet” sped towards her husband. She called for an end to “the hate, the vitriol, and the simple-minded ideas that ignite violence”.
Strategists said Trump’s unity message would likely help him win over swing voters in the coming weeks ahead of November’s presidential election. Some moderates have grave concerns about voting for Mr Biden after a series of public gaffes but believed Trump was too divisive.
Crooks, a registered Republican voter who also donated to a progressive political group in 2021, used his father’s AR15-style rifle to carry out the attack from a nearby rooftop.
Investigators have not speculated publicly on his motive. The dietary aid worker at a Pennsylvania nursing home was killed by US Secret Service snipers seconds after opening fire.
Police also named Corey Comperatore, 50, as the rally attendee who was killed by a bullet intended for Trump. Josh Shapiro, the Pennsylvania governor, said he was a “hero” who died shielding his wife and daughters from the attack.
One of the daughters, Allyson, wrote online: “He truly loved us enough to take a real bullet for us.”
The other victims, 57-year-old David Dutch and 74-year-old James Copenhaver are in a stable condition.
The Trump campaign launched a crowd-funder for Mr Comperatore’s family, which has already raised more than $1 million (£787,000).
FBI investigators and a bomb squad searched Crooks’s family home on Sunday and found bomb-making equipment. Explosive materials were also discovered in his car at the rally, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Amid calls for unity, the attempt on Trump’s life also led to accusations by some of his supporters that Democrats had encouraged violence against him.
Don Jr, the Republican nominee’s eldest son, tweeted that liberal media outlets and rival politicians had radicalised his father’s opponents by portraying him as “literally Hitler”.
JD Vance, the favourite to be Trump’s running mate, said Mr Biden had portrayed him as an “authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs”, claiming that his rhetoric “led directly to president Trump’s attempted assassination”.
Several Republicans said Mr Biden’s reported call for his party to “put Trump in a bullseye” on a call with donors last week had encouraged Crooks to carry out the attack.
Chris LaCivita, the Trump campaign’s co-chairman, said Mr Biden should be “held accountable” for “disgusting remarks”.
One Democratic representative, issued a veiled criticism of the Biden campaign, arguing that the election should not be “misleadingly portrayed as a no-holds-barred struggle between democracy or authoritarianism”.
The same argument was made by the Russian government, which said it did not think the attack “was organised by the current authorities” but said the “atmosphere around candidate Trump…provoked what America is confronting today”.
On Sunday night, Mr Biden repeated his own call for unity, and confirmed he had ordered a “thorough and swift” investigation of the attack.
“There is no place in America for this kind of violence, or any kind of violence for that matter,” he said. “We must unite as one nation to demonstrate who we are.”
The Biden-Harris campaign has suspended its communications and advert campaigns, many of which had depicted Trump as “unhinged” and “extreme”.
Some Republicans, including Mr Trump Jr, criticised Bennie Thompson, a Democratic representative who had previously proposed legislation to remove the Secret Service protection of convicted felons. If the bill had succeeded, then “my dad would be dead right now,” Mr Trump Jr said.
One of Mr Thompson’s staff members was sacked in the hours following the shooting, after she said online that Trump’s opponents should “get shooting lessons so you don’t miss next time”.
Mr Biden said he had a “short but good conversation” with Trump, and that he was “sincerely grateful he is doing well”. Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, called him to offer condolences, and Boris Johnson described his escape as a “miracle”.
Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader who is a friend of the former president, said he would fly to the US to support him after the attack.
Comparing the shooting to incidents during the UK election campaign, when he was doused with a milkshake and pelted with rocks, he issued a call in an article for The Telegraph for Left-wing commentators to “realise that their language has an impact”.
“It has become commonplace amongst the media elite to view Trump as an authoritarian fascist,” he said.
“I implore all of those on the Left to think very carefully about how they seek to play politics. Next time, it could be very, very different.”
Saturday’s shooting, which is the first assassination attempt to wound a US president since 1981, has raised questions about the Secret Service security measures at Trump events.
The Trump campaign said it had hired private armed security to protect him, and advised staff to avoid campaign buildings while their safety is assessed.
Mr Biden, who was due to speak again from the Oval Office on Sunday evening, said he had ordered a full security review into measures at the Republican National Convention, which begins on Monday in Wisconsin.
The convention’s organisers are working with the Secret Service and 40 law enforcement agencies to keep delegates, other attendees and members of the media safe.
Trump said he would still speak at the convention, where he is also expected to reveal his choice of running mate.
He said he was planning to delay his arrival, but decided he “cannot allow a ‘shooter,’ or potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else”.
In an apparent olive branch to one of his fiercest critics, it was revealed that Trump has invited Nikki Haley to speak to delegates.
Ms Haley was Trump’s main opponent during the Republican primary this year, and argued he was unsuitable to be president. Dozens more senior Republican figures will speak at the four-day event.
Invanka Trump, the former president’s daughter and former White House aide, said she believed her deceased mother Ivana “was watching over Dad last night during the attempt on his life”.
Melania has largely stayed out of the spotlight during the 2024 presidential campaign but called on her husband’s opponents to remember that “every single politician is a man or a woman with a loving family”.
Bookmakers on Sunday slashed odds on Trump winning November’s presidential election, amid speculation that his brush with death would lead to an increase in public support.
Some analysts pointed to an eight-point poll bounce experienced by Ronald Reagan after he was shot in March 1981.
Others suggested that a Democrat coup against Mr Biden is now unlikely to succeed, leaving him as the party’s nominee. Trump allies have suggested they think they would be more likely to beat Mr Biden than Kamala Harris, his vice president.
After concerns about Trump’s security team at the rally, two congressmen proposed a law that would give presidential candidates enhanced Secret Service protection.
Ritchie Torres and Mike Lawler called the assassination attempt a “dark moment in our nation’s history” and called for “more protection” for top presidential candidates.
If successful, the law would also give protection to Robert F Kennedy Jr, who is running as an independent presidential candidate and has long complained he does not receive federal security assistance.
Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, has said he will hold congressional hearings to investigate the level of security at Trump’s events.
They will include evidence sessions with Kimberly Cheatle, the director of the Secret Service, and other officials from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security.
Our live blog coverage is moving
This is what we know so far on the day after Donald Trump was shot in Pennsylvania:
- Joe Biden said the FBI is leading the investigation into the shooting but no motive has yet been established. He said he was praying for the Republican and that security measures had been reviewed ahead of the the Republican National Convention
- The two other victims who were shot and injured at Saturday’s rally have been named as 57-year-old David Dutch and 74-year-old James Copenhaver
- A car belonging to the suspect who tried to kill Donald Trump was found parked at the rally, containing explosives.
- The man who was killed at Donald Trump’s rally has been identified as Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief.
- A Trump supporter said he signaled to police and secret service agents that there was was a man “bear-crawling” on the roof of a building.
- Trump said it was “God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening”.
FBI believes rifle used at rally was gunman’s father’s
The FBI says they believe the AR-style rifle used by the shooter to fire at Donald Trump was legally purchased by the gunman’s father.
Kevin Rojek, special agent in charge of the Pittsburgh Field Office, told reporters that authorities don’t yet know how the shooter gained access to the weapon, and whether he took it without his father’s knowledge.
“These are facts that we’ll flesh out as we conduct interviews,” Rojek said. Authorities recovered the weapon at the scene of the shooting.
Trump rally suspected gunman acted alone, FBI says
The suspected gunman at Donald Trump’s rally was acting alone and used an AR-style rifle purchased legally to shoot at the former US president, FBI officials said on Sunday, adding that they had no indications of any mental health issues with the suspect.
The FBI officials, in a call with reporters, said the investigation was at an early stage and that they had not yet identified an ideology associated with the suspect. They said finding the motive behind the shooting was one of their priorities.
Police name two other injured victims at rally
The two other victims who were shot and injured at Saturday’s rally have been named as 57-year-old David Dutch and 74-year-old James Copenhaver.
A third victim who died has already been named as Corey Comperatore, 50.
“These victims and their families are certainly in our thoughts today,” said Colonel Christopher Paris, Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner.
“The Pennsylvania State Police continue to work tirelessly alongside our federal, state and local partners as this investigation continues.”
Bloodied face, fist raised in defiance: how this image may win Trump the US presidency
A picture is worth a thousand words and the assassination attempt against Donald Trump may have just altered the course of history, writes Roland Oliphant.
The Stars and Stripes flutters in the background as a bloody-faced Donald Trump raises a fist in defiance and calls on his supporters to fight on
The image of Trump seconds after surviving an assassination attempt is one of those photographs of obvious and immediate power.
He could not have looked more like an American hero if he tried. If he wins the election in November, it will likely be considered one of a handful of photographs that altered the course of the country’s history.
It is a product of world-class photojournalism – and also, perhaps, of Trump’s innate political instincts.
About a minute after Trump took cover from a gunman’s bullets, the Secret Service agents shielding his body decided to move him to safety. “We’re clear, let’s move,” they were heard saying before raising the former president to his feet.
But Trump told them to “wait”. Before being ushered away, he turned to the crowd, raised his fist and mouthed what looked, to lip readers, like the word “fight”.
Biden ramps up security ahead of Republican National Convention
Joe Biden has ramped up security measures at the Republican National Convention after an attempt was made on Donald Trump’s life at a rally on Saturday.
The US President told reporters: “I’ve directed the Secret Service to review all security measures... for the Republican National Convention, which is scheduled to start tomorrow.”
He added that he had directed an “independent review of national security” of the Pennsylvania rally, where Thomas Matthew Crooks fired several times at the Republican with a semi-automatic rifle before being killed by police snipers.
Mr Biden said he had no new information on what motivated Crooks, who was registered as a Republican, but said he expected the investigation to be “thorough and swift”.
Thomas Matthew Crooks: The registered Republican and gun lover who shot Trump
The FBI has named the man who shot Donald Trump as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old registered Republican from Pennsylvania, writes James Kilner.
The first pictures of the gunman, taken from his high school yearbook have now emerged. Crooks, wearing a grey shirt with the American flag on it smiles at the camera in the photo from Bethel Park High School.
Crooks was reportedly wearing a T-shirt bearing the emblem of a pro-gun YouTube channel when he was killed on Saturday by a special forces sniper after firing three shots at the former US president.
One shot grazed Trump’s ear, spraying blood across his face. A man sitting behind Trump was shot and died and two other people were badly injured.
The FBI said that it regarded Crooks as carrying out “an assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump”.
“This remains an active and ongoing investigation,” it said.
No motive yet for shooting, says Biden
Joe Biden said the FBI is leading the investigation into the shooting but no motive has yet been established.
Mr Biden said Trump is afforded every resource necessary to ensure his protection and in light of the attack, the head of the secret service has reviewed all security measures for the Republican National Convention starting on Monday.
There will also be an independent review to establish exactly what happened on Saturday at Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania.
“We must unite as one nation,” he concluded his press conference by saying.
Biden says no place for violence
Joe Biden condemned the attack, saying there is no place for such violence.
“An assassination attempt is contrary to everything we stand for as a nation. Everything. It’s not who we are as a nation and we cannot allow this to happen. Unity is the most elusive goal of all.
“We’ll debate and disagree. That’s not going to change. But we’re not going to lose sight” of ourselves as Americans, he said.
Trump in our prayers, says Biden.
Mr Biden said: “We had a short but good conversation. Jill and I are keeping him and his family in our prayers.
“We also extend our deepest condolences to the family of the victim who was killed.
“He was a father. He was protecting his family from the bullets that were being fired.”
Saudi Arabia condemns shooting of Donald Trump
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.
“The Kingdom expresses its condemnation and denunciation to the attempt on life of former U.S President Donald Trump,” it said in a statement.
It voiced its “full solidarity with the United States of America, the former president and his family, and stressed its rejection of all forms of violence.”
Starmer wishes Trump quick recovery
Keir Starmer wished Donald Trump a quick recovery following the attack at yesterday’s rally.
The prime minister spoke with the former president this afternoon and condemned the violence, expressed his condolences for the victims and their families, and wished Mr Trump and those injured a quick recovery, Downing Street said.
Suspect’s car contained explosives
A car belonging to the suspect who tried to kill Donald Trump was found parked at the rally, containing explosives.
Law enforcement officials told the Associated Press that bomb-making materials were also found at the home of Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old Republican.
Crooks is suspected of trying to assassinate Trump at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.
A crackle of gunfire rang out before the former president touched his ear and ducked. When he reappeared he was surrounded by security staff and had blood pouring out of his ear.
One man died and two were injured. The deceased has been identified as Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old father of two.
Witnesses at the event said they saw the shooter scaling a building with a rifle and taking up position on the roof.
Investigators believe the firearm Thomas Matthew Crooks used had been purchased by Crooks’ father at least six months ago.
Federal agents were still working to understand when and how his son obtained the gun and to gather additional information about Crooks.
Pennsylvania local ‘died the hero’ trying to protect his family
The man killed at Donald Trump’s rally had dived on his family to protect them when he was fatally shot.
Speaking to the press, Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro said he had spoken to Corey Comperatore’s wife who said “Corey died the hero”.
Corey was a 50-year-old father, former firefighter and avid church goer, said Gov Shapiro.
“I asked Corey’s wife if it would be okay for me to share that we spoke,” he said.
“She said yes. She also asked that I share with all of you that Corey died the hero. That Corey dove on his family to protect them last night at this rally. Cory was the very best of us. May his memory be a blessing.”
Shooter is a ‘monster’ who nearly ruined my life, says Melania Trump
The gunman who shot Donald Trump was a “monster” who nearly destroyed my family, Melania Trump said in her first remarks on the attempted assassination of her husband.
The former first lady wrote an emotional letter in which she thanked those who risked their lives to save her husband and lamented the “tattered fabric” of the nation.
“When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and [son] Barron’s life, were on the brink of devastating change,” she wrote.
She added: ‘A monster who recognized my husband as an inhuman political machine attempted to ring out Donald’s passion - his laughter, ingenuity, love of music, and inspiration.”
Ms Trump went on to call for people to show ‘love, compassion, kindness and empathy’ and remember there are people behind politics.
The FBI identified the attacker as 20-year-old registered Republican Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was shot dead by police at the scene.
One audience member was killed in the attack, and two others were injured.
Man killed at rally identified as Corey Comperatore
The man who was killed at Donald Trump’s rally has been identified as Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief.
The attempted assassination on the former president also saw two people injured.
Corey’s daughter, Allyson Comperatore, posted a message on social media saying her dad was really looking forward to yesterday’s event in Butler, Pennsylvania, but ‘what was supposed to be an exciting day…turned into the most traumatizing experiences someone could imagine.’
“He was the best dad a girl could ever ask for. My sister and I never needed for anything.”
According to his LinkedIn account, Corey was working for JSP, plastics manufacturing company in Butler, as a project and tooling engineer when he was killed.
Suspect’s car contained explosives, WSJ reports
A car belonging to the suspect who tried to kill Donald Trump was found to contain explosives, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Thomas Matthew Crooks, who the FBI identified as the would-be assassin, parked his car near the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, according to people briefed on the investigation. Inside, authorities found explosive devices, the sources said.
The discovery was made after police received multiple reports of suspicious packages near where the shooter was and sent in bomb technicians, the WSJ reported.
Bloodied face, fist raised in defiance: how this image may win Trump the US presidency
The photo of Trump holding up a raised fist, his head covered in blood, could be the defining image of this election campaign.
Here is the story behind the photo - and how the image was taken.
Pictured: Gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks
Images have emerged of Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was gunned down after opening fire on Donald Trump.
The first pictures of the gunman, taken from his high school yearbook, show him wearing a grey shirt with the American flag on it smiles at the camera in the photo from Bethel Park High School.
Footage of his graduation from the school, where he is seen wearing a black gown, has also been seen.
Melania Trump says rally shooter a ‘monster’
Melania Trump said the gunman who opened fire at a Donald Trump rally was a “monster,” as she condemned the assassination attempt in which the Republican presidential candidate was injured.
“A monster who recognized my husband as an inhuman political machine attempted to ring out Donald’s passion - his laughter, ingenuity, love of music, and inspiration,” Melania Trump said in a statement.
‘Trump’s rhetoric leading’ political violence, says Clinton adviser
Donald Trump is partly to blame for the culture of violence in American politics which has culminated in his shooting, a former advisor to the Clinton’s suggested.
Richard Goodstein, a former advisor to Bill and Hillary Clinton, said it was ‘Trump’s rhetoric that is leading this’.
Mr Goodstein told the BBC that Trump has said that Mark Milley, the former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, should be executed; shared images of a bound and gagged Joe Biden and mocked ex-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband after he was brutally attacked in 2022.
“This notion that somehow Trump’s hands are clean is, I have to confess, a bit much,” said Mr Goodstein.
Mum ‘was watching over Dad last night’, says daughter Ivanka
Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump said her mother ‘was watching over Dad last night’ when he narrowly survived an assassination attempt on his life.
“Two years ago today, my mom passed away,” she said of her mother, Ivana.
“I believe she was watching over Dad last night during the attempt on his life. I miss her every day and pray for the safety of the family and friends she left behind,” she said.
Ivana was Trump’s first wife and the mother of three of his children. She died on July 14 aged 73.
Trump urges Americans to unite after assassination attempt
Donald Trump called on Americans on Sunday to stand united after he was injured in an assassination attempt - a shocking incident that opened a dark new chapter in an already polarised US presidential race.
The 78-year-old former president was hit in the ear at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, while the shooter and a bystander were killed and two spectators critically injured in the worst act of US political violence in decades.
“In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United,” Trump said in a statement on his Truth Social network, adding that Americans should not allow “Evil to win”.
Republicans working to ensure convention security after Trump shooting, says party chair
The Republican party chair said that authorities are working together to ensure security at the party’s convention in Milwaukee this week after Donald Trump’s assassination attempt.
“We feel very comfortable that we’re working with the Secret Service, we’re working with 40 different law enforcement agencies in terms of what that security is going to look like,” Michael Whatley said in an interview on the “Fox News Sunday” program.
Witness describes ‘pop’ like fireworks during shooting
One witness at the Trump rally described the moment when shots rang out like the lighting of fireworks.
Erin Autenrieth had front row seats to the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, about 15 to 20 feet away from the stage.
“I heard a pop like fireworks,” she said, thinking someone in the street was having a party.
Speaking to MSNBC, she did not realise Trump had been shot until after he had been whisked away by his security team.
Farage: I’m flying to America to support Trump in this desperate hour
He’s had a narrow miss. It’s a miracle. I implore the Left to think very carefully about how they seek to play politics, writes the leader of Reform, Nigel Farage.
It’s only a comment. It’s only a joke. It’s only a milkshake. So the Left squawk each time someone drenches me with a drink, or a so-called comedian suggests people should throw battery acid at me on the BBC. It’s just a joke. If you’re a politician, it’s part of the job description, right?
Well, that is not true. The words deployed by the Left are, I believe, encouraging people. Rocks were thrown at me during the election campaign, and last night President Trump was shot. The favourite to be the next President mere millimetres away from death.
The ‘be kind’ brigade must now realise that their language has an impact. It has become commonplace amongst the media elite to view Trump as an authoritarian fascist – it is now so normal to hear that those of us on the right, who care about our countries, are somehow authoritarian dictators. Take the last week – Biden has declared that Trump should be “in a bullseye” and that he is a “dictator”.
Expert corroborates claim shooter used an AR rife
A scientist said a photo that appears to capture the moment a bullet passes Donald Trump on Saturday is consistent with that of an AR rifle.
The gun used in the attempted assassination of the former president is widely believed to be an AR-15. The FBI named the suspected shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks.
“I’ve analyzed many images of high speed projectiles,” said Dr Phil Metzger of the Stephen W. Hawking Center for Microgravity Research and Education in Florida.
“Based on typical camera shutter speed and bullet velocities for AR rifles, the streak has the correct length, and the shadowing based on the Sun-angle is correct. It does look like a bullet,” he added.
Bomb squad enter house of Trump shooter suspect
A bomb squad entered the house of the man suspected of shooting Donald Trump on Saturday, according to a neighbour.
The former president was struck in the ear by a bullet during a deadly shooting at his packed rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday afternoon.
The FBI identified the attacker as 20-year-old registered Republican Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was shot dead by police at the scene.
Dan Malony said members from Allegheny County’s bomb squad surrounded the house of suspect Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old registered Republican from Pennsylvania, shortly after 1 am on Sunday.
“I saw a post of his name and that he lived in Bethel Park, so I looked him up and he lives .3 miles away,” Mr Maloney told the New York Post.
“I went down there and spoke to the county bomb squad at 1:06 a.m. He said he was about to go into the house.
“I didn’t know the guy. No one in this neighborhood really talks to each other,” he added.
US House Speaker says heated political rhetoric needs to be dialed down
Political rhetoric in the United States has been very heated recently and needs to dial down, Mike Johnson, Republican Speaker of the US House of Representatives, told MSNBC on Sunday after Donald Trump was shot at a campaign rally a day earlier.
Thomas Matthew Crooks: Who was the Donald Trump shooting suspect?
The FBI has named the man who shot Donald Trump as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old registered Republican from Pennsylvania, writes James Kilner.
Crooks was reportedly wearing a t-shirt bearing the emblem of a pro-gun Youtube channel when he was killed on Saturday by a special forces sniper after firing three shots at the former US president.
One shot grazed Trump’s ear, spraying blood across his face. A man sitting behind Trump was shot and died and two other people were badly injured.
The FBI said that it regarded Crooks as carrying out “an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump”.
“This remains an active and ongoing investigation,” it said.
Some more global reactions to Trump shooting
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said on X that it was “distressing” to witness Trump being shot while speaking at a rally and to hear an attendee had died.
“This is a tragedy for the democratic world,” he said.
The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the “inexcusable attack” on the United States and Australia’s shared democratic values.
“In Australia, as in the United States, the essence and the purpose of our democracies is that we can express our views, debate our disagreements and resolve our differences peacefully,” Albanese told reporters in the Australian Parliament House.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said “Political violence has no place in our society!”
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called the incident unacceptable and said the attack must be “strongly repudiated” by all democracy defenders.
Watch: ‘Let me get my shoes’, Trump tells security after being shot
Donald Trump said ‘let me get my shoes’ to secret service agents just after being hit by a bullet at his campaign rally.
Agents can be seen trying to hurry the former president off the stage but he is reluctant to leave without his shoes.
“Sir, we got to move to…” one agent appears to say to Trump.
“Let me get my shoes on,” Trump replies before being taken off the stage.
Biden administration created atmosphere for Trump shooting, says Kremlin
The Kremlin on Sunday said it did not believe the current US administration was responsible for Saturday’s assassination attempt on Donald Trump, but that it had created an atmosphere that provoked the attack.
Trump was shot in the ear during a Saturday rally in Pennsylvania, in an attack now being investigated as an assassination attempt that left the Republican presidential candidate’s face streaked with blood.
10 per cent of Americans support violence to stop Trump’s reelection
The assassination attempt on Donald Trump comes as 10 per cent of American adults said violence was justified to stop him from retaking the White House.
Robert Pape, a professor in terrorism threats at the University of Chicago, carried out the survey in June which also found that a third of that number own guns.
”We also need to worry about threats in retribution to President Biden. Our survey shows 7 per cent of American adults (18 million) support force to restore Trump to the presidency, half of whom own guns,” Pape said in an email to NBC.
“Political leaders from both parties and at all levels of government — the President, Senate and House leadership, governors, and mayors must immediately condemn political violence from whichever side of politics it arises,” he added.
Consequences of shooting are ‘unthinkable’, says Cabinet minister
Lucy Powell, the leader of the House of Commons, has condemned the “appalling” attack on Trump last night, describing the consequences of the shooting as “unthinkable”.
“This is a horrific, appalling attack that we’ve seen overnight, which we condemn wholly and fully, and thankfully President Trump has survived this attempt on his life because the consequences otherwise are really unthinkable,” she told GB News.
“We condemn any kind of political violence that like this and our thoughts are with President Trump, and in fact that all the American people who will be reeling from this morning.
Ms Powell linked the attack to the murder of Jo Cox and David Amess, who were both murdered in their constituencies in the last eight years.
She said the attacks led to a “bigger and deeper conversation” about “how we uphold our democracy and our democratic rights and our democratic institutions, free from fear and intimidation, harassment, or indeed violence or murder”.
Trump was talking about immigration when shot
Donald Trump had just started speaking about an apparent increase in immigration when he was shot.
He was pointing to a screen, saying foreign arrivals to the US had grown since he left office.
“Look what happened to our country!” he said.
Shots then rang out and Trump touches his ear and ducks.
Immigration has become a highly contentious issue in America, with Trump blaming illegal migrants in the US for fuelling violent crime.
Alleged Trump shooter filmed on roof with rifle
A video published by US outlet TMZ shows a gunman laying on his stomach on a rooftop with a rifle in hand, then screams ring out.
The FBI identified the gunman, who was shot dead by the US Secret Service, as Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old from the US state’s Bethel Park, according to US media.
The video published by TMZ shows the alleged shooter laying on his belly on a rooftop and aiming a rifle.
“The guy has longer brown hair, and he seems to be wearing a grey shirt/khaki pants - and as you can see, he’s carefully trying pinpoint a target from afar before pulling the trigger,” TMZ reported.
Narendra Modi ‘deeply concerned by attack on my friend’
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he is ‘deeply concerned by the attack on my friend,’ Donald Trump.
“[I] Strongly condemn the incident. Violence has no place in politics and democracies. Wish him speedy recovery,” he wrote on X.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the deceased, those injured and the American people.”
Calls for Biden to go lose momentum after shooting
Democrats calling for Joe Biden to stand down have lost momentum after Donald Trump was shot, meaning the president will likely remain the party’s nominee, insiders have said.
Mr Biden has faced calls for him to step back from the 2024 race for the last two weeks, after his disastrous debate performance against Trump on June 27, but Democrats will now likely rally around the US president.
“They were having a very bad political day, and then we had this supernova event. Now, it’s frozen,” a Democrat strategist told NBC News. “If you’re an advocate for: ‘How do we tell the old man it’s time to go?’ — it’s really hard to have that conversation publicly. This event blocks out the sun right now.”
Another said: “I think it’s over. You just lose all momentum.”
Mr Biden has condemned the attack, calling it “sick” and wishing Trump well. He has returned to the White House from his weekend at home in Delaware in response to the incident.
Trump campaign advisor says incident raises questions over Secret Service
A senior advisor to the Donald Trump campaign has said that the incident raises questions about the preparedness of the Secret Service.
Speaking to the BBC World Service, Stephen Moore said it was a “scary day – we’re all in shock”.
He added: “I got a text from one of my associates saying that Trump had been shot and my heart just sank, and I was afraid to ask the question ‘is he going to be alright?’”.
“It appeared from the video that he’d only been grazed by this bullet but what’s so frightening to all of us is that if that bullet had been one inch further towards his head this would have been an assassination.”
Moore added that “certainly Trump needs more protection - there’s a lot of inquiry now about whether the Secret Service was totally prepared”.
Farage: I am ‘not shocked’ by attack on Trump
Nigel Farage has said he is “not shocked” by the attack on Donald Trump, as he criticised the “mainstream media narrative” about the presumptive Republican nominee.
The Reform leader told BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: “Somehow, I’m not shocked by it. The narrative that is put out there about Trump by these liberals that oppose him is so nasty and so unpleasant I think it almost encourages this type of behaviour”
He added: “There are some things that are said on social media that aren’t acceptable but there is also a mainstream media narrative and I’m afraid it’s very, very one-sided - the BBC is a part of this, it’s happening in this country.
“I’ve faced continual attacks for over a decade now because it’s me, no one cares - in fact, it’s even funny.”
He referred to jokes made about shooting Mr Trump and continued: “I do think liberal intolerance is increasingly a part of this problem.”
Farage: Trump will carry on holding rallies ‘regardless’
Donald Trump will continue to hold rallies with voters “regardless” of the attack, Nigel Farage has said.
Mr Farage, who is a friend of Mr Trump, said that the former US president “lives and breathes by big rallies” but it was “difficult” to see how they could continue.
He told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg: “Trump lives and breathes by big rallies, and I’ve been to a few dozen of them myself, and there’s sometimes 10,000 people, sometimes 50,000 people. The energy generated from those events spreads out, he’s been doing this, and gets his vote.”
He added: “It is difficult to see Donald Trump going on doing what he’s always done.”
But the leader of Reform UK said: “The problem with this is how do you go out and campaign like 30 years ago, a soap box in the market square, you couldn’t do that today. So you finish up with our political leaders never meeting a voter, never meeting the public.
“I suspect, knowing Trump as I do, he will carry on regardless.”
We must have a conversation about ‘civilised’ politics, says sister of Jo Cox
The UK and other countries are “not making huge amounts of progress” on the issue of “civilised” politics, the sister of Jo Cox has said.
Ms Cox, the Labour MP for Batley and Spen, was murdered by a right-wing extremist in 2016, and her sister Kim Leadbeater later was elected in the same seat.
Ms Leadbeater told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg: “We’ve got to have that conversation about what a civilised democracy looks like.
“I’ve been having it since Jo was killed. I sadly feel that we’re not making huge amounts of progress in this country and in other countries and we’ve got to keep having that conversation”.
Trump attack marks ‘dark hours for American democracy’ - Germany’s foreign minister
Germany’s foreign minister on Sunday posted on X that the shooting of Donald Trump at a campaign rally on Saturday indicated “dark hours” for American democracy.
Annalena Baerbock wrote on X: “In democracies, elections are decided by ballot papers and not by weapons.
“In these dark hours for American democracy, my thoughts are with the victims of the attack. I wish Donald Trump and the other injured a speedy recovery.”
UK ambassador ‘already made contact’ with Trump team
The UK ambassador in the US “has already made contact” with Donald Trump’s team following the attack, the Commons leader has said.
Lucy Powell condemned the events at the rally as a “completely unacceptable, appalling attack” and that the Government stands “shoulder to shoulder” with Mr Trump.
She told Trevor Phillips on Sky News: “I know our ambassador in the US has already made contact with Trump’s people.
“I’m sure those conversations will happen and that the Prime Minister has expressed his solidarity with Donald Trump through social media and expressing that publicly because we stand shoulder to shoulder.
“This is a completely unacceptable, appalling attack and is absolutely against everything we stand for and believe in as free democracies.”
Germany’s Olaf Scholz condemns ‘despicable’ attack
Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor condemned the attack and wished the former US president a full recovery.
“The attack on US presidential candidate Donald Trump is despicable. I wish him a speedy recovery. My thoughts are also with those who were affected by the attack. Such acts of violence threaten democracy,” Mr Scholz said.
Trump joins long list of presidents targeted by violence
There is a storied and bloody history of presidential assassination attempts, and Donald Trump on Saturday joined a long list of former holders of the office who have been threatened with violence.
Read more: The bloody history of US assassination attempts from Lincoln to Trump
France shares the shock of the American people – Macron
Emmanuel Macron wished Donald Trump a “speedy recovery”, calling the assassination attempt on the former US president “a tragedy”.
“This is a tragedy for our democracies. France shares the shock and indignation of the American people,” the French president said X.
Gunman was registered Republican – report
Thomas Matthew Crooks, the gunman who attempted to shoot Donald Trump on Saturday, was a registered Republican, according to a report.
The Associated Press reported that Crooks was registered with Mr Trump’s party in Pennsylvania.
However, he gave $15 (£12) to a progressive political action committee on Jan 20, 2021, the day President Joe Biden was sworn in to office.
Airspace shut over gunman’s home town
Airspace over the hometown of the gunman as been shut, the Federal Aviation Administration has said.
The skies over Bethel Park, Pennsylvania – which was home to Thomas Matthew Crooks, the gunman who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump on Saturday – have been closed “immediately” for “special security reasons” the agency said.
Just waking up?
Here’s what happened overnight:
- Donald Trump has been shot at a rally in Pennsylvania
- The former president was shot in the ear moments into his speech
- The gunman, who was killed at the scene, was identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20
- One person was killed and two others critically injured at the event in Butler
- Joe Biden has condemned the attack as “sick” and said he spoke to Mr Trump on the phone
Read more:
PM ‘appalled’ by attack
Sir Keir Starmer said he was “appalled” at the shooting at a campaign rally for former US president Donald Trump in Pennsylvania.
The Prime Minister said: “I am appalled by the shocking scenes at President Trump’s rally and we send him and his family our best wishes.
“Political violence in any form has no place in our societies and my thoughts are with all the victims of this attack.”
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the Government “condemns all forms of political violence in the strongest terms”.
Read more: Biden condemns ‘sick’ attack on Trump as world leaders react with horror
Zelensky: I am relieved Trump is safe
Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, said he was “appalled to learn about the shooting”, adding that “such violence has no justification and no place anywhere in the world”.
“Never should violence prevail,” Mr Zelensky said. “I am relieved to learn that Donald Trump is now safe and wish him a speedy recovery.”
Police: hard to secure against “very determined attacker”
Mr Bivens said in defence of the Secret Service it is “incredibly difficult to have a venue open to the public and secure that against any possible threat against a very determined attacker”.
Mr Rojek said “no additional request for security was ever denied by the FBI”.
Officials “concerned” about retaliatory threats
Asked whether he was worried about threats by people angered by the shooting, Mr Bivens said it was “certainly a concern” and they are “monitoring that whole situation”.
“We will utilise the resources of our intelligence division and the criminal intelligence center to be able to monitor for concerns about any threats”, he said.
He said regardless of the “political spectrum” officials “want to make sure that we try and avoid any further violance”.
Bomb squad deployed to assess “suspicious packages”
Mr Rojek said “bomb assets” had been deployed to check any “suspicious packages” near where the shooter was located.
He said it was an “active crime scene” and enforcement agencies had deployed specialists as “an abundance of caution”.
He said “people in the crowd will leave bags as they’re fleeing the scene like this” and every suspicious package has to be treated as though it may be an explosive device.
One shooter “tentatively” identified
During a press conference, one law enforcement official said they had “tentatively” identified a gunman linked to the shooting.
“We’re not stopping there”, he said, adding: “We’re following up on a lot of information.”
One official said they were currently “looking at photographs” and “trying to run his DNA and get biometric confirmation”.
FBI: this was an assassination attempt
Kevin P Rojek, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office, said they were calling Saturday’s shooting “an assassination attempt against our former president Donald Trump”.
He said they were “not prepared to identify who the shooter is” until they are “100 per cent confident” of the identity.
The law enforcement agency has also not yet identified a motive, he said.
Trump has left the area
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said on Saturday that former US president had now left the Butler area.
Mr Shapiro said in a post on X that Trump departed “under the protection of US Secret Service and with the assistance of the Pennsylvania State Police.”
He added: “Federal law enforcement officials will continue to lead on the investigation into the shooting of former President Trump. Pennsylvania State Police will lead the investigation into the shooting of the other victims.”
Mr Shapiro said he had spoken with Joe Biden who “offered his full support”.
How Trump survived then thrived
Donald Trump had just begun his rally in Pennsylvania at around 6.15pm on Saturday night when bystanders noticed a would-be assassin crawling onto a nearby roof, Deputy US Editor Rozina Sabur writes.
“We noticed a guy army-crawling, bear-crawling, up the roof”, an eyewitness told the BBC. “You can clearly see him with a rifle.”
The eyewitness was holding a party just outside the rally venue, he told the BBC. The group immediately raised the alarm with police and secret service agents on the ground, to no avail.
“Next thing you know, five shots rang out,” he said.
Open source intelligence reports suggested the shooter was less than 150 yards away, with a direct line of sight to the stage.
Inside the rally, Trump, mere minutes into his speech, was looking off to the right as a loud bang echoed through the Butler Farm Show fairground.
Read the full article on how Saturday’s shooting unfolded here
Bill Ackman endorses Trump
The billionaire hedge fund manager said he was “formally” endorsing the Republican nominee and had come to the decision “some times ago”.
He said Mr Biden’s supporters “who know me tend to assume that I have lost it” but said he had made his decision on “data”.
Mr Ackman said he had the “benefit of spending a few hours recently with President Trump” and urged his followers to “keep an open mind”.
DC increases police presence across city
Law enforcement in Washington DC has “increased police presence across the city” in response to Saturday’s deadly shooting.
The DC Police Department said it was working with local, state and federal partners to “monitor” the incident at Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania.
The Metropolitan Police Department said while there were “no known threats” to the capital, they used residents to remain “vigilant”.
Congressman describes “bloody scene”
Daniel Meuser, a Pennsylvania lawmaker, was sitting with the state’s senate candidate Dave McCormick when the shooting took place.
“Everybody started, certainly, screaming, asking for a medic, and honestly, it was a bloody scene,” Mr Meuser told CNN.
He added: “It was pretty obvious, after the second or third gunshot, what was happening.”
The Republican said people were “very panicked” but “settled down after a little while, particularly when President Trump, honestly, stood up and gave thumbs-up.”
Secret Service director to be quizzed by Congress
Mike Johnson, the House Speaker, said Congress will “conduct a full investigation of the tragic events today”.
He said director of the Secret Service Kimberly Cheatle and officials for the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI will appear before the House “asap”.
He added: “The American people deserve to know the truth.”
Biden has spoken with Trump
Joe Biden has now spoken with Donald Trump, a White House official said.
The former president has now been released from hospital following treatment for his shooting injury, according to Bloomberg.
It is unclear how long the call lasted, or when the pair last spoke over the phone.
The president also spoke to Pennsylvania’s governor, Josh Shapiro, and the city of Butler’s mayor, Bob Dandoy, the White House official said.
Trump’s security was “warned” about gunman on roof
Donald Trump’s security was warned about a gunman on a roof “three or four minutes” before shots were fired at the former president’s rally, an eyewitness claims.
The man, who was outside the grounds of the event, said he and his friends frantically drew the attention of the police when they noticed a person crawling onto a rooftop with a rifle while Trump was onstage in Pennsylvania, US Reporter Benedict Smith writes.
He claimed that minutes later, the gunman was still in position and managed to fire five times before the secret service “blew his head off”.
The account will raise questions about how security lapses at the rally, where Trump – who is expected to be formally named the Republican candidate for president on Wednesday – was pictured with blood streaming from his ear.
Read the full story here
Analysis: attempted Trump assassination changes everything
Political strategists often talk about campaigns in terms of “moments”, Tony Diver, The Telegraph’s US editor, writes.
They are points in time that irrevocably change the political landscape, forcing those involved to adapt their behaviour to a new baseline.
The attempt on Donald Trump’s life on Saturday night is the most significant moment in decades.
In the seconds after gunshots rang out across the showground where the Republican nominee was addressing his supporters, it became clear that everything had changed.
An instantly historic image of the scene, captured in time by an Associated Press photographer, shows Trump stumbling off the stage, dripping with blood and surrounded by Secret Service agents.
Moments after his brush with death, the former president raised a fist in defiance, his lips forming a single word: “Fight.”
Read more on what this moment will mean for this year’s election here
Biden to return to the White House
Joe Biden will return to the White House this evening following the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally, the White House said.
Mr Biden had been planning to spend the entire weekend at his beach house in Rehoboth, Delaware, following some of the most difficult days of his presidency, in which fellow Democrats called on him to quit the 2024 White House race.
He was attending a service at his local church when the incident occurred at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and was briefed shortly afterwards.
Mr Biden addressed the nation earlier this evening, strongly condemning the shooting.
“There’s no place in America for this kind of violence. It’s sick. It’s sick,” he said.
He said he was trying to reach Trump by phone. “I hope I get to speak to him tonight,” he said. “So far it appears he’s doing well”.
Republicans blame Biden for attempted assassination
Republicans have blamed Joe Biden for the attempted assassination tonight, accusing the president of whipping up opposition to Donald Trump.
JD Vance, who is one of the frontrunners to be Trump’s running mate, said: “Today is not just some isolated incident. 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,” he added.
Mike Collins, a Republican congressman from Georgia, said: “The Republican District Attorney in Butler County, PA, should immediately file charges against Joseph R. Biden for inciting an assassination.”
He also tweeted that Mr Biden “sent the orders”.
AR-15-type semiautomatic rifle “recovered”
An AR-15-type semiautomatic rifle was recovered from a deceased white male believed to have been the gunman, law enforcement sources told the New York Times.
The newspaper reported the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is conducting an emergency trace on the weapon on the national firearms purchasing database.
Trudeau: political violence “never acceptable”
Justin Trudeau, the Canadian Prime Minister, said political violence is “never acceptable” after Saturday’s shooting.
“I’m sickened by the shooting at former President Trump. It cannot be overstated - political violence is never acceptable. My thoughts are with former president Trump, those at the event, and all Americans,” Mr Trudeau said on social media platform X.
Trump “looking forward” to convention
In a joint statement, the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee said the former president is “doing well and grateful to law enforcement and first responders for their fast action.”
It added: “President Trump looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we proceed with our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th President of the United States.
“As our party’s nominee, President Trump will continue to share his vision to Make America Great Again.”
A&E doctor gave CPR to man struck in head
A man in a bloodied shirt told CBS News he had tried to save one of the shooting victims’ lives.
“Somebody over there was screaming ‘he’s been shot, he’s been shot’”, he said.
“So I made my way over. I said, ‘I’m an emergency department physician, let me help you.’
“The guy had spun around, was jammed between the benches. He had a headshot... there was lots of blood and he had brain matter [exposed]”, he said.
He said he had performed CPR chest compressions on the victim.
Antony Blinken “grateful” Trump is safe
“I’m shocked and saddened by the shooting at former President Trump’s rally and grateful that he is safe”, Anthony Blinken, the Secretary of State, wrote on X.
He said as Joe Biden had said, “there is no place for political violence in America and we must all condemn it.”
Shooting will have won Trump the presidency
“It was the shot heard around the world”, Poppy Coburn writes.
“Former President Donald Trump, speaking at a rally in the swing state of Pennsylvania, seemingly narrowly dodged certain death after gunshots sounded, apparently clipping his ear.
“Trump was hurried away by Secret Service as the crowd screamed around him.
“There were multiple shots - and yet, the presidential hopeful stood defiant. Shouts of horror quickly turned to ecstatic calls of ‘USA, USA!’”
Read the full article on how tonight’s shooting could impact the election here
Trump says bullet pierced his ear
Trump has just released this statement on his social media platform, Truth Social:
“I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured.
“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. 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!”
President won’t yet confirm attempted assassination
Joe Biden also said that “everybody must condemn” the incident.
The president spoke to reporters for just a few minutes and declined to answer when asked whether he believed it was an assassination attempt.
He said: “I have an opinion, but I don’t have any facts. So I want to make sure we have all the facts before I make any more comment”.
Mr Biden had earlier been pictured with his security leaving church, where was when news of the Trump shooting broke:
Joe Biden wants to speak to Trump
Joe Biden is speaking at a police department near his beach house in Rehoboth, Delaware, where the US president was spending the weekend.
Mr Biden said he had tried to call Donald Trump but he was still being treated by his doctors.
“I hope I get to speak to him tonight,” he said. “So far it appears he’s doing well”.
He continued: “There’s no place in America for this kind of violence. It’s sick. It’s sick.
“It’s one of the reasons we have to unite this country.”
Shooter was outside of security perimeter, says local prosecutor
We heard before questions from witnesses wondering why snipers or guards were not stationed on every roof near to the rally.
The location of the shooter was said to be about 130 yards from where Trump was standing in front of a lectern.
Bystanders who were outside the rally said they were signaling to security that a man armed with a rife was crawling on a shed roof.
They wondered why no one was responding to them and then realised it was likely the police couldn’t see the gunman from their positions.
Richard Goldinger, the Butler County district attorney, has now confirmed the shooter was outside of the security perimeter.
“He was outside of the ground, so to speak,” he told CNN. “So quite frankly, I don’t know how he would have gotten to the location where he was but he was outside the grounds and I think that’s something that we’re gonna have to figure out how he got there.”
He added that the security services had “maybe got a little lackadaisical about it” and thought that “this wouldn’t happen to a president or a former president”.
“Maybe it’s just the state of our current political situation, but yeah, you just wouldn’t even think it would happen, especially in where I live in Butler County.”
Statement from Kamala Harris
The Vice President and her husband Doug are “relieved” Trump is “not seriously injured”.
“We are praying for him, his family, and all those who have been injured and impacted by this senseless shooting,” Ms Harris said in a statement.
“We are grateful to the United States Secret Service, first responders, and local authorities for their immediate action.
”Violence such as this has no place in our nation. We must all condemn this abhorrent act and do our part to ensure that it does not lead to more violence.”
Injuries yet to be confirmed
We’re yet to receive official word on exactly how Trump was hurt.
So far, the evidence suggests he was not directly hit.
A Washington Post reporter says she was told by Butler county district attorney Richard Goldinger that Trump was “grazed by gunfire” while Axios reports that a source said the former president was hit by “glass fragments” during the shooting.
These photos show Trump was bleeding from the top of his ear:
Obama condemns attack
Former US President Barack Obama said he and his wife, Michelle, wished Trump a speedy recovery.
Mr Obama condemned the shooting and called for “civility and respect” in US politics.
“There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy,” he said.
“Although we don’t yet know exactly what happened, we should all be relieved that former President Trump wasn’t seriously hurt, and use this moment to recommit ourselves to civility and respect in our politics.”
No 10: We condemn this in the strongest terms
Downing Street has condemned the attack on Trump.
A spokesman said: “We are shocked by the scenes at President Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania.
“We condemn all forms of political violence in the strongest terms and we send our best wishes to President Trump and his family at this time.”
Joe Biden responds
Joe Biden said he was “grateful to hear” Donald Trump was “safe”, saying “there’s no place for this kind of violence in America”.
The US president said he was “praying” for his Republican 2024 opponent and his family, and “for all those who were at the rally”.
Here is the US president’s statement in full:
“I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania.
“I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information.
“Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”
Shooter was ‘on adjacent rooftop’
John Miller, a former Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence and Counterterrorism in New York, told CNN he had been informed that a shooter gained access to an adjacent building to the Trump rally.
He told the network that the apparent shooter had been outside of the event’s security perimeter, on top of a building with a line of sight to Trump.
The local district attorney has said that a shooter was neutralised by police after the incident began. It remains unclear how exactly this security breach was able to happen.
Watch: witness said he tried to stop the gunman
A Trump supporter said he signaled to police and secret service agents that there was was a man “bear-crawling” on the roof of a building.
He said he was pointing to the gunman for “two or three minutes” but authorities did not react until after “five shots rang out”.
“He had a rifle” he told the BBC.
“We’re like [telling police he is] ‘right here on the roof, we see him...he’s crawling.’
“I’m thinking to myself, why is Trump still speaking?”
Video appears to show shooter’s body
Witnesses have said they saw a man with a rifle crawling on a roof overlooking the Trump rally.
Police killed the man after multiple shots were fired during the rally, according to one witness.
Footage on social media showed a person laying motionless on the roof:
Crowd underwent weapons check
Rozina Sabur, our Deputy US Editor, says questions are being raised over how the incident was able to take place.
All attendees at Donald Trump’s rallies are required to go through metal detectors to screen for weapons.
An extensive list of items, including flag poles and aerosols, are banned from Trump’s events for security reasons.
As a former US president, the Secret Service provides comprehensive protection of Trump and implements a robust security apparatus for every single event he attends.
The agency is heavily involved in the security protocol for all of his rallies.
Senior Democrats express horror
Hakeem Jeffries, the Democrat House minority leader, said Trump was in his “thoughts and prayers”.
He added: “I am thankful for the decisive law enforcement response. America is a democracy. Political violence of any kind is never acceptable.”
Josh Shapiro, the governor of Pennsylvania, said he had been briefed on the situation and the state police were on hand at the rally site.
“Violence targeted at any political party or political leader is absolutely unacceptable. It has no place in Pennsylvania or the United States,” he said.
Gretchen Whitmer, the governor of Michigan, said: “There is no place for political violence in this country, period. This is not how we solve our differences.
“I am horrified to learn of this news, and we will be following the situation closely. I am grateful for those in law enforcement who stepped in immediately.”
Security chiefs are briefing the President
Joe Biden is currently being briefed by key department chiefs about the incident.
He is being updated by Kimberly Cheatle, director of the United States Secret Service, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Homeland Security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall.
Musk compares Trump to Teddy Roosevelt
Elon Musk has reiterated his support for Donald Trump, writing on Twitter that “last time America had a candidate this tough was Theodore Roosevelt”.
Mr Roosevelt, the 26th president of the US, survived an attempted assassinations in 1912 while he was campaigning in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The Republican Party is gearing up for its annual convention next week in Milwaukee.
At the event, Trump and members of his family are expected to address party members and he is also set to unveil his running mate for the 2024 election.
Hours before tonight’s rally, Mr Musk backed Trump with a “sizeable” donation to a super-PAC supporting the Republican nominee.
He tweeted after the shooting:
Trump is safe, says Secret Service
A US Secret Service spokesman said: “An incident occurred the evening of July 13 at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania.
“The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former President is safe. This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available.”
Rally site is now an ‘active crime scene’
Reporters at the event were told the rally site at Butler Farm Show had become an “active crime scene”, CNN reported.
One of the network’s reporters said they heard the shots and it sounded as if they had had come from “far away”.
It was not immediately clear where the sounds had originated.
The event is staffed by US Secret Service personnel, as well as local Pennsylvania police.
Supporters told to leave
The crowd has been ushered out of the Pennsylvania venue.
Trump himself has left the site under the protection of the Counter Assault Team (CAT) division of the US Secret Service.
As a former president, he receives protection funded by the US taxpayer.
CNN reported that the “security posture” around the White House has changed and crowds that normally line the street in front of the building have been cleared.
Trump drops to the ground
Donald Trump has been rushed off stage by Secret Service agents during his Pennsylvania rally after he dropped to the ground amid the sound of banging and screaming.
Trump was speaking at his final rally before the Republican National Convention when he was told to get down by his Secret Service agents.
The Republican nominee dropped to the floor of the stage while several cracking sounds were heard in the background.
He was then assisted off the stage by Secret Service agents and taken off the site.