UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES / From the desk of Tom Cole
Forty-three years ago, in 1981, a gunman opened fire on President Ronald Reagan in Washington, DC. Luckily, the President survived; however, this was an occurrence that I hoped our nation would never be shook by again. Yet, on Saturday, America was similarly shaken.
The attempted assassination of President Donald Trump this weekend is truly chilling, as political violence of any kind is never acceptable and quite frankly, is un-American.
I thank God that President Trump is ok. He is a resilient man, who has consistently shown leadership and strength during times of adversity. However, Corey Comperatore, a firefighter whose last acts were trying to protect his family, died a hero. My thoughts and prayers are with Corey’s family and loved ones as they grieve during this time, as well as President Trump and the other rally attendees who were injured.
Now, in this moment, we must unite as a nation. What happened on Saturday was a horrific attack on democracy, but we must not allow it to prevail. As President Trump said in his statement, we must “show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined.”
The United States of America is the greatest country the world has ever known, and I am confident that we will overcome this dark chapter. In the meantime, please join me in praying for America, as we cannot, and will not, allow evil to win.
