Biden Urges America to ‘Lower the Temperature in Our Politics’ in Oval Office Address After Trump Assassination Attempt

President Joe Biden addressed the nation from the Oval Office Sunday night, calling on his “fellow Americans” to work together to “lower the temperature in our politics” in the wake of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump .

Trump had only been speaking a few minutes on stage at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania Saturday when shots rang out and he grabbed his ear. After receiving treatment at a local medical facility, he was released.

Several rally attendees were also hit during the shooting. Corey Comperatore , 50, of Sarver, Pa., was fatally shot as he “tried to shield family” from bullets, according to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro . Two others, David Dutch , 57, of New Kensington, Pa., and James Copenhaver , 74, of Moon Township, Pa., were wounded and are recovering in stable condition.

The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks , 20, was killed when Secret Service agents returned fire . Crooks was on the roof of a building nearby the rally that was outside the security perimeter that included metal detectors. The shooting is being investigated as an attempted assassination.

“My fellow Americans,” Biden began his remarks, which aired live. “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 are neighbors, we’re friends, co-workers, citizens, and most importantly, we are fellow Americans. We must stand together.”

He added that the shooting “calls on all of us to take a step back” and how he was “grateful” that Trump was “not seriously injured,” and he and First Lady Jill Biden were keeping him in their prayers. Biden mentioned that he had spoken to Trump last night and he was “doing well.”

The president offered his condolences and prayers for the victims, and noted that the investigation was “ongoing,” with the shooter’s motive, opinions, and affiliations not yet known.

Biden lamented how “a former president was shot” and “an American citizen killed while simply exercising his freedom to support the candidate of his choosing.”

“We cannot, we must not go down this road in America, we’ve traveled to before throughout our history,” said Biden. “Violence has never been the answer, whether it’s with with members of Congress of both parties being targeted and shot or a violent mob attacking the Capitol on January 6 or a brutal attack on the spouse of former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, or information and intimidation on election officials, or the kidnapping plot against a sitting governor, or an attempted assassination on Donald Trump. There’s no place in America for this kind of violence, for any violence ever, period, no exceptions. We cannot allow this violence to be normalized.”

Watch the clip above via The White House.