Biden speaks to Trump after apparent assassination attempt

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US President Joe Biden spoke to former President and Republican candidate Donald Trump after Sunday's apparent assassination attempt, the White House said Monday.

"President Biden just spoke with former President Trump and conveyed his relief that he is safe. The two shared a cordial conversation and former President Trump expressed his thanks for the call," it said.

Previously, the White House said that Biden called Trump but "they did not connect."

Trump was the target of what the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) described as "an apparent assassination attempt" at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday.

Law enforcement officials in Florida said they apprehended the suspect after US Secret Service agents spotted him with an AK-47-style assault rifle outside Trump’s golf club.

The suspect was identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, of Hawaii, several US media outlets reported, citing unnamed law enforcement officials.

Biden said Monday that the Secret Service "needs more help" a day after the second apparent attempt to assassinate Trump.

On July 13, Trump was wounded during an attempted assassination at a campaign rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania.

Thomas Matthew Crooks, a lone 20-year-old gunman, opened fire on Trump, grazing his right ear. Reports afterwards suggested that Trump had coincidentally turned his body when the gun was fired, perhaps averting a much more serious injury.

The gunman killed one spectator and seriously injured two others. Crooks was killed at the scene by an agent in Trump’s detail from the Secret Service, which is tasked with protecting current and former US presidents and vice presidents as well as prominent candidates for the posts.