By Nandita Bose and Steve Holland
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Joe Biden condemned the assassination attempt against Republican rival Donald Trump on Sunday, urged Americans to come together in unity and ordered a review of security at the rally where Trump was wounded.
Biden, who has been locked in a bitter campaign battle with former President Trump ahead of the Nov. 5 election, said he would address the American people on Sunday night on the need for unity.
“Unity is the most elusive goal of all, but nothing is more important than that right now – unity. We’ll debate and we’ll disagree. That’s not going to change. But we’re not going to lose sight of who we are as Americans,” he said.
Biden said he had a short but good conversation with Trump on Sunday night and that he is “sincerely grateful that he is doing well and recovering.”
He said he had ordered a review of security amid questions about how the shooter was able to get into a position to open fire at Trump.
“There is no place in America for this kind of violence or any violence for that matter. An assassination attempt is contrary to everything we stand for … as a nation – everything,” he said.