Faith leaders say God protected Trump; Johnson asks politicians to tone down rhetoric in race for White House
Faith leaders and U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), a Southern Baptist, reacted following Donald Trump’s narrow escape from assassination on Saturday evening (July 13) saying God protected the former president and the nation from another tragedy.
A shooter fired bullets striking Trump at the Pennsylvania campaign rally on the ear from an elevated position about 150 yards from where he was speaking. A man was killed and two people attending the rally were injured. FBI identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was killed on the scene by a Secret Service sniper. The FBI is investigating the incident and no motive has been identified.
“May God protect all who serve us,” Albert Mohler, the president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, posted on X/Twitter after news broke that shots had been fired at a Trump rally in Butler, Penn., shortly after the candidate took the stage.
“Thankful former President Trump is safe. We need to know what happened here. This kind of attack is an attack upon our entire political system and our commitment to ordered liberty. Let’s pray for our nation,” said Mohler.
Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, posted, “I thank God that former President @realDonaldTrump is alive.”
Trump used religious language in a Truth Social post about surviving the attempt on his life.
“Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening. We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness,” Trump said.
Johnson: Political Rhetoric Harmful
“America awakes to a rather surreal morning,” Johnson said during an interview on the Today Show Sunday morning.
“This is a horrific act of political violence that ought to be roundly condemned,” said Johnson. “Obviously, we can’t go on like this as a society.”
The Republican House leader reiterated his commitment to ask Congress to fully investigate the shooting. Johnson also called out political rhetoric and asked leaders on both sides of the political spectrum to dial it back.
“We’ve got to turn the rhetoric down, we’ve got to turn the temperature down in this country,” said Johnson. “We need leaders in both parties, on both sides, to call that out, and make sure that happens, so that we can go forward and maintain our free society that we all are blessed to have.”
He added that criticism of Trump has contributed to a heated political environment.
When the message goes out constantly that Donald Trump is a threat to democracy and the Republic would end, “it heats up the environment,” said Johnson. “We cannot do that, it’s simply not true. Everyone needs to turn the rhetoric down.”
He pointed out a comment made by President Joe Biden who said last week “it’s time to put Trump in a bullseye.” According to Politico Biden made the comment in a call with donors.
“I know he didn’t mean what is being implied there, but that kind of language on either side should be called out,” said Johnson.
Politicians React to Shooting
Louisiana Republican Rep. Steve Scalise, the House majority leader who was shot at a practice for a congressional baseball game in 2017, said Democrats have stoked “ludicrous hysteria” about Trump being re-elected.
London Lamar, a Tennessee State Senator, posted on X after the shooting, “While I am praying for former President Trump and hopes he makes a full recovery... The extremism from the MAGA regime has brought us to this moment.”
Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina said Democrats and the media have “recklessly stoked fears,” and called Trump and conservatives “threats to democracy” on X, adding, “Their inflammatory rhetoric puts lives at risk.”
Numerous conservatives on social media posted comments made in 2017 by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) who threatened then President Trump for going after the federal bureaucracy in an interview on MSNBC, “If you take on the intelligence community, they have six ways from Sunday at getting back at you.”