President Donald Trump was quick to call the massacre in Las Vegas yesterday, “an act of pure evil” in a bold call for unity, as the nation recovers and comes to grips with the tragedy.
In a tweet, on Monday, Trump expressed sympathy for the victims, saying, “My warmest condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of the terrible Las Vegas shooting. God bless you!”
Following the shooting – the worst in American history – President Trump also gave a live address to the nation, lamenting, “my fellow Americans, we are joined together today in sadness, shock, and grief.”
“In moments of tragedy and horror, America comes together as one,” he said. “And it always has.”
“We call upon the bonds that unite us: our faith, our family, and our shared values,” Trump urged. “We call upon the bonds of citizenship, the ties of community, and the comfort of our common humanity. Our unity cannot be shattered by evil. Our bonds cannot be broken by violence. And though we feel such great anger at the senseless murder of our fellow citizens, it is our love that defines us today, and always will, forever.”
He added, “In times such as these, I know we are searching for some kind of meaning in the chaos, some light in the darkness. The answers do not come easy.”
“But we can take solace knowing that even the darkest space can be brightened by a single light, and even the most terrible despair can be illuminated by a single ray of hope,” Trump said.
The president thanked the first responders for “their courageous efforts” in response to the attack at the musical festival. He also noted the near, “miraculous” speed in which SWAT was able to locate the shooter’s location, saving even more from death.
White House Press Secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, also gave an emotional tribute to fallen first responders, “Sadly, multiple police officers both on duty and off duty were among those killed or injured,” she said. “But what these people did for each other says far more about who we are about Americans than the cowardly of the killer ever could,” she continued.
“The Gospel of John reminds us that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for a friend.” She concluded, “their examples will serve as an eternal reminder that the American spirit cannot and will not be broken.”
Sanders also took time to call out liberals, who were using this tragedy to callously push a gun confiscation agenda. “There’s a time and place for a political debate, but now is the time to unite as a country,” Sanders reprimanded them. She also reminded the liberals, “If you look to Chicago, where you had over 4,000 victims of gun-related crimes last year, they have the strictest gun laws in the country.”
