Donald Trump huddled with his senior advisers at his Bedminster club in New Jersey a day after surviving what federal investigators called an assassination attempt, preparing for the Republican national convention, which kicks off on Monday.
Trump was keeping the same schedule as originally planned, according to sources familiar with the situation. His next public appearance is tentatively set for Tuesday at the convention though the sources cautioned that could change.
The assassination attempt has raised the stakes and the national significance of the convention, where Trump is set to deliver a speech and watch the announcement of his running mater in perhaps one of the most politically charged elections in the nation’s history.
Trump spoke to Joe Biden on Sunday in a phone call described by one of the sources as “brief and very respectful”, but otherwise stuck with his schedule of meetings and convention planning in part to stave off the shock that came with the shooting.
The shooter, identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, used an AR-style semi-automatic rifle to fire multiple rounds at Trump roughly 10 minutes into his campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Crooks was shot dead by US secret service counter-snipers at the rally.
The assassination investigation is being led by the FBI and the ATF. Federal investigators executed a number of search warrants on Sunday to try and establish motive for the shooting, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the matter.
Trump was rushed off stage after the shooting and treated at a local medical facility for injuries to his right ear. He then travelled to Bedminster on his plane and landed shortly after midnight, one of the sources said.
The number of staffers with Trump at the rally was limited, with some of his advance staff already in Milwaukee for the convention. The staffers with Trump included his campaign chief Susie Wiles, his spokesperson Steven Cheung and deputy communications director Margo Martin.
From Bedminster, Trump said in a Truth Social post he intended to travel to the convention, as planned, on Sunday afternoon.
“Based on yesterday’s terrible events, I was going to delay my trip to Wisconsin, and The Republican National Convention, by two days, but have just decided that I cannot allow a ‘shooter,’ or a potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else,” Trump wrote.
In an earlier internal memo to staffers, reviewed by the Guardian, the Trump campaign’s leadership said that their plans for the convention also remained unchanged.
“In moments of tragedy and horror, we must be resolute in our mission to re-elect President Trump. It is our fervent hope that this horrendous act will bring our team, and indeed the nation together in unity and we must renew our commitment to safety and peace for our country.”
“The RNC Convention will continue as planned in Milwaukee, where we will nominate our President to be the brave and fearless nominee of the our Party. We appreciate your dedication and perseverance and are thankful for each and every one of you,” it read.
