PRESIDENT Joe Biden has opened up about what was discussed when he called Donald Trump shortly after an assassination attempt.
Biden made the revelation during a special interview on Monday.
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“I told him how concerned I was and he sounded good, he sounded fine,” Biden told Lester Holt during an unscripted interview on NBC.
“He thanked me for calling,” Biden added.
The president later stated that violence had no place in America
“There’s no place at all for violence in politics in America. We’ve reached a point where it’s become too common place,” he said.
Biden’s revelation comes after the president commented that he was putting Donald Trump “in the bullseye.”
Biden later stressed he was referring to the level of focus on Trump’s agenda at the time, insisting there was not enough.
The president defended the statement telling Holt that in hindsight he regrets using the word “bullseye” after Saturday’s attempted assassination.
Despite the rhetoric used, Biden says his message is still the same.
“What I was talking about at the time was there is very little focus on Trump’s agenda.” the president told Holt.
“I didn’t mean crosshairs or bullseye,” Biden explained.
“I meant to focus on him, focus on what he is doing, focus on his policies, focus on the number of lies he told at the debate, there is a whole range of things,” Biden said.
“I’m not the guy who said I want to be a dictator on day one, I’m not the guy who refused to accept the outcome of the election,” he continued.
When asked if he feels there is anything he has said in the past that may have “incited” people, Biden again defended his past statements.
“I’m not engaged in that rhetoric,” he said.
Donald Trump Rally Shooting Timeline
Donald Trump was shot at his Pennsylvania rally on July 13.
1pm: Doors open at the Butler Farm Show grounds where Trump was expected to speak at 5pm.
4:11pm: Sean Parnell gave the opening speech.
4:35pm: David McCormick rallied the crowd.
5:30pm: Crowds were still waiting for Trump.
6:03pm: Trump takes the stage.
6:11pm: Gunshots were fired as Trump delivered remarks.
6:12pm: Trump was ushered off stage by Secret Service agents.
6:42pm: Secret Service confirmed Trump is safe.
7:24pm: The shooter and one rally attendee are confirmed dead by law enforcement officials.
8:42pm: Trump confirms he was shot in the ear, sharing a statement on Truth Social.
8:49pm: The Secret Service confirms the shooter and a rally attendee are dead. Two others remain critically injured.
In the wake of the assassination attempt, both Biden and Trump have issued messages of unity.
During his 9-minute speech in the Oval Office, Biden called on his fellow Americans to be peaceful.
“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.”
“Disagreement is inevitable in American democracy,” Biden continued.
The president then said that politics should never be a “killing field.”
During his first interview since being shot at, Trump told The New York Post that there may be a possible change in approach for the next four months leading up to the election.
“I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,” Trump said Sunday night.
“I had all prepared an extremely tough speech, really good, all about the corrupt, horrible administration,” he told The Post about a speech he had prepared for this week’s Republican National Convention.
“But I threw it away,” Trump, who was officially named the Republican Party’s nominee, said on Monday.
Trump said he is reworking his speech in an attempt “to try to unite the country.”
Biden was also asked about his disastrous debate with Trump last month.
When asked if he had seen what others had seen while watching clips of the debate back, Biden said, “I had a bad, bad night. I wasn’t feeling well at all. I screwed up.”
