Trump was in the middle of remarks to the crowd when he appeared to wince in pain and put his hand to his right ear. He dropped to the stage as several loud pops could be heard and Secret Service agents covered his body to protect him.
The news of the assassination attempt reverberated across the nation, including in the Bay Area, where political leaders took to social media with statements condemning the violence and sending prayers for Trump and those attending the rally.
House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi – whose husband was attacked by a conspiracy theorist with a hammer in their Pacific Heights home in 2022 – said in a statement: "As one whose family has been the victim of political violence, I know firsthand that political violence of any kind has no place in our society."
California Gov. Gavin Newsom echoed Pelosi.
In a statement, Newsom said: "Violence has NO place in our democracy. My thoughts are with President Trump, and everyone impacted at the rally today."
U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a San Jose Democrat condemned the shooting and praised first responders, Secret Service and law enforcement.
U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, a Democrat from Santa Clara, said he was "absolutely appalled by the gunshots fired at Donald Trump.”
