Lindsey Graham tells Donald Trump: “I love you”

Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, said “I love you” to Donald Trump on Sunday after Trump attempted to assassinate the former president yesterday during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, was speaking at his rally in Butler on Saturday afternoon when shots rang out. The former president clutched his right ear as blood streamed down his face as security guards approached. The suspected gunman, identified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot and killed by the Secret Service. One rally attendee was also killed and two others seriously injured in the incident.

The shooting is being investigated as an attempted murder while the investigation is being led by the FBI in cooperation with the Secret Service and local law enforcement.

During an appearance on NBC News’ Meet the press On Sunday, Graham, a Trump ally, showed his support for the former president in the aftermath of the shooting when he talked about what his message would be once he was able to make contact with Trump.

“I’m thankful you weren’t hurt any worse, and I love you. We were going to play golf at 8:30 this morning, I’ve spoken to him three times this week… All I can say is he’s got five kids and five grandkids. He’s a human being. A lot of people love that man. For the country, we probably need to do some soul-searching as a nation,” Graham said.

The senator added: “I wish I could say I was surprised. I’ve been worried about this for a very, very long time. If he wins, democracy will not end. He’s not a fascist, he’s representing a point of view shared by millions. The rhetoric is too hot, but I was just grateful he got it done… Let’s not forget, a man lost his life attending a political rally.”

When asked by moderator Kristen Welker on Sunday whether he was concerned about Republican rhetoric since the shooting and whether it would lead to further tensions, Graham said he was focused on being grateful that Trump survived.

“There’s a lot of frustration on our side about the way Trump was treated, but today I’m just grateful that he’s alive and mourning the man who didn’t make it. We’ll have an opportunity to talk about what’s best for America,” he said.

Newsweek has emailed Graham’s office for comment.

The shooting occurred just days before the start of the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee, where Trump plans to announce his highly anticipated vice presidential nominee, setting the stage for a rematch of the hotly contested 2020 election against likely Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

Trump’s campaign on Saturday announced a full list of family members, Republican officials and candidates, as well as entertainers, celebrities and industry leaders who will speak at the convention.

Last month’s debate sparked new speculation about who Trump’s running mate might be and led to several prominent names being thrown into the race.

Some of these names will also be speakers at the convention, including Republican Senator JD Vance of Ohio, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and Senator Marco Rubio of Florida. All three are considered favorites for Trump’s vice presidential nomination.

As this year’s election approaches, Trump’s lead over Biden has increased by 2 percentage points (42.3 percent to 40.3 percent), according to FiveThirtyEight’s national aggregator poll on Sunday morning.