Former Representative Liz Cheney, a Wyoming Republican and one of Donald Trump‘s harshest critics, rebuked the shooting that injured the former president at a Saturday rally in Pennsylvania.
Trump was escorted off stage during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday afternoon. Shots were heard minutes into his speech before he was then rushed off-stage by security staff. The AP later reported that the shooter was dead and a rally attendee was killed.
Trump appeared to fall to the ground as he presented his speech and appeared to have blood on the side of his face. He was quickly surrounded by armed security and stayed down for around a minute.
“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act. He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow,” Steven Cheung, Trump’s spokesperson, said in a statement emailed to Newsweek.
Cheney joined many supporters and critics of the former president saying they were praying for him after the incident.
“Reports of the shooting in Pennsylvania are horrifying. Violence of any kind has no place in American politics. We are grateful for the reaction of Secret Service and other law enforcement and pray for the former president and all those injured,” Cheney wrote on X, formerly Twitter on Saturday evening shortly after the incident occurred.
In as statement posted to X, the Secret Service said the incident was under investigation.
“An incident occurred the evening of July 13 at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania. The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former President is safe. This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available,” Anthony Guglielmi, a Secret Service spokesperson, said.
Trump has repeatedly criticized Cheney. In March, he wrote on his social media platform Truth Social that “she should go to Jail along with the rest of the Unselect Committee!” The former president was referencing the January 6 House select committee, which was formed in response to the U.S. Capitol riot, using the nickname he gave to the congressional investigatory body.
Although Cheney voted with Trump more than 90 percent of the time during her tenure in Congress while he was president, she became one of his most outspoken critics following his refusal to concede the 2020 election. As a result, the Republican was ousted from her position as House Republican Conference chair in May 2021.
Cheney went on to serve as one of two GOP lawmakers on the House select committee investigating January 6. She then lost her 2022 Republican primary in Wyoming to a Trump-aligned candidate, but has remained a prominent conservative voice routinely warning against what many perceive to be the dangers presented by the former president and his faction of the GOP.
Pennsylvania’s Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, also condemned political violence in the wake of the incident.
“Violence targeted at any political party or political leader is absolutely unacceptable. It has no place in Pennsylvania or the United States. I have been briefed on the situation. @PAStatePolice are on the scene in Butler County and working with our federal and local partners,” he wrote.
The White House said on Saturday that “the President has received an initial briefing on the incident at Former President Trump’s rally,” per a pool report.
Newsweek has reached out to the local police and attorney general for further comment.
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