He said he had ‘very nice’ calls from Joe Biden and Kamala Harris following the incident in Florida.
Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump arrives for a campaign event in Flint, Mich., on Sept. 17, 2024
(NEWS UPDATE USA FAST)-- Trump Speaks About Latest Assassination Attempt in Flint Town Hall, Gets Calls from Biden and Harris
At a Flint, Michigan, town hall on September 17, former President Donald J. Trump spoke about the recent assassination attempt against him. He told those gathered he had since received "very nice" calls from both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
"President Biden called me yesterday," Trump said during an interview with Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who formerly was his White House press secretary. Trump added the call was "very nice."
He also went further to mention a similar call from Vice President Harris: "Today, a little while ago, I got a very nice call from Kamala," Trump told the pro-Trump audience at the Dort Financial Center. The crowd responded in boos.
"It was very, very nice, and we appreciate that—but we have to take back our country, and we have to win," Trump added. Boos from the crowd morphed into a mixture of cheers and applause.
Details of the Assassination Attempt
The former president had survived an earlier shooting incident in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July. This latest plot played out in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Suspect Ryan Wesley Routh was observed gesturing an AK-47-style rifle at Trump across a security perimeter before being observed by a Secret Service agent, who then fired. Routh ran away and was caught later when a witness was able to catch his license plate. Based on the report of the witness and the photograph of the black Nissan Routh was driving, authorities were able to track him down.
Trump Targeted in Apparent 2nd Assassination Attempt in Florida. more:
Trump thanked the witness in the call, offering that he would like to meet them in person. He also said that Routh-who had received significant media attention for his attempts to recruit Afghan fighters to Ukraine prior to the assassination attempt-was "very sophisticated," pointing to how Routh had filed off the serial number of his weapon.
Responses and Continued Campaign Schedule
Following the new incident, both President Biden and Vice President Harris denounced political violence. Chris LaCivita, a senior adviser to Trump's campaign, did seek to reassure reporters before the town hall that the former president's schedule remains unchanged.
Trump repeated a threat he has issued many times on the campaign trail: "We will put a 200 percent tariff on cars made in Mexico by Chinese companies. And then you wonder why I get shot at, right?" he joked.
Former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attends a town hall meeting moderated by Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) at the Dort Financial Center in Flint, Mich., on Sept. 17, 2024.
How is it that this has happened twice?,
suggests some sort of disbelief or shock over a great event to have happened more than once. Quotes from various attendees who joined the town hall meeting show different concerns and reflections upon the issue.
For Marshall Dunn, a machinist from Davison, Donald Trump suggests something more profound: an actual threat to the political system-so broken, corrupt, whatever-that it needs a force like Trump to blow it up. That is how Dunn said he is not surprised-much less shocked-by the attempts to take out Trump.
Linda Freiheit, the mother of Dunn, considered that the extent of what was happening was, to some point, too uncomfortable and that the things that had been done were something in which no political party should ever seek, much less take part in or be the target of. She thought one felt horrified that political tensions could rise to the actual infliction of violence.
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Dave Brown, from Flint, is a vehicle programmer. He describes the latest incident as "atrocious." An action that is beyond belief and has to be totally unacceptable, so making it sound serious.
Lastly, Patrick Doherty spoke of the shooting as "uncalled for." For him, there was nothing to such an extreme measure. His answer was candid, without further political analysis, condemning the violence.
These reactions yield a range of political and moral positions, reflecting frustration with the system and a universal aversion to violence.
Auto Workers for Trump founder Brian Pannebecker (C) is recognized by former President and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump during a town hall meeting moderated by Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) at the Dort Financial Center in Flint, Mich., on Sept. 17, 2024.
How has this happened twice?
asked Tresa Bundy, who sat next to her husband, Dan.
The Epoch Times spoke with the couple shortly after they found their seats inside the stands. Tresa said she'd been in line since 9:30 a.m.
I want it to be America like it was when I grew up, and it's not," said Tresa, her voice cracking with emotion. When she spoke of her kids and grandkids' future, she almost came to tears.
"God bless Trump and his family. I'm grateful the Lord continued to protect him again," she said.
Nearby, Jona Bandelaria, a model from Toledo, Ohio, also seemed perplexed, wondering, "How did people find out Trump was going to be here?" She said she would like the incident investigated.
Sitting nearby were Gary and Carol Snook, of Fort Myers, Fla., who still keep a summer home in Michigan. "We moved to Florida because of COVID and all the restrictions here," Carol said.
Carol said although the leadership of the unions was behind Harris, she foresaw many rank-and-file members of the United Auto Workers supporting Trump.
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| Guests attend a campaign rally for Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump, in Flint, Mich., on Sept. 17, 2024. |
Carol and her husband say they are worried about election integrity in Michigan, fearing a dirty vote would rob the former president of a state he won once back in 2016.
Carol admired how brave Trump was to go out in public so soon after surviving a second thwarted assassination attempt mercifully left him unscathed.
"If I were him, I'd be hiding after a second attempt on my life. He's incredibly courageous," she said.
Andrew Csongradi of Saginaw was also surprised, along with his son Zack, by how Trump came out in public after what had happened in Florida. They said if such an attempt ever succeeded, it might lead to some serious civil unrest.