Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, told Donald Trump “I love you” on Sunday following yesterday’s assassination attempt of the former president during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, was speaking at his rally in Butler on Saturday afternoon when shots began to ring. The former president was then seen grabbing his right ear with blood coming down his face as security agents descended. The suspected gunman, now identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot and killed by the Secret Service. In addition, a rally attendee was also killed during the incident and two others were critically injured.
The shooting is being investigated as an assassination attempt as the investigation is ongoing with the FBI as the lead agency, working alongside the Secret Service and local law enforcement.
In an appearance on NBC News’ Meet the Press on Sunday, Graham, a Trump ally, showed his support for the former president following the aftermath of the shooting as he spoke about what his message would be once he is able to connect with Trump.
“I’m grateful you weren’t hurt any worse and I love you. You know we were supposed to play golf this morning at 8:30, I talked to him three times this week…All I can say is that he’s got five children and five grandchildren. He’s a human being. A lot of people love this man. For the country, we probably need to do some soul searching as a nation,” Graham said.
The senator added: “I wish I could say I was surprised. I’ve been worried about this for a very, very long time. If he wins, democracy is not going to end. He’s not a fascist, he represents a point of view that millions share. The rhetoric is too hot, but I was just grateful that he made it…Let’s not forget, a man lost his life by attending a political rally.”
When asked further by host Kristen Welker on Sunday if he has concerns about the rhetoric Republicans have pointed towards since the shooting and if it will fuel more tensions, Graham said he’s focused on being grateful that Trump survived.
“There’s a lot of frustrations on our side about the way Trump has been treated, but I’m just grateful today that he is alive and mourn for the man who did not make it. We’ll have a chance to talk about what’s best for America,” he said.
Newsweek has reached out to Graham’s office via email for comment.
Logan Cyrus / AFP/Getty Images
The shooting comes days before the Republican National Convention (RNC) kicks off in Milwaukee where Trump is poised to unveil his highly anticipated vice presidential pick, setting the stage for a rematch of the fiercely contested 2020 election against presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.
A full list of family members, GOP officials and candidates, as well as entertainers, celebrities, and industry leaders, that are scheduled to speak at the convention was announced Saturday by Trump’s campaign.
Last month’s debate has since sparked renewed speculation about who Trump’s vice-presidential pick could be leading to several prominent names being thrown in the mix.
Among those names, several will also be speaking at the convention including Republicans Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and Senator Marco Rubio of Florida. All three have been speculated to be among the favorites for Trump’s running mate.
As this year’s election draws closer, according to FiveThirtyEight’s national aggregator poll, Trump is leading Biden by 2 points (42.3 percent to 40.3 percent) as of Sunday morning.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.