Cody Johnson Speaks Out After Trump Campaign Rally Shooting [Watch]

Just minutes after former president Donald Trump was injured in a shooting at his campaign rally on Saturday evening (July 13), Cody Johnson took the stage for a performance in Chicago, Ill.

The singer had thoughts to share on the incident, which bloodied Trump's face and left at least one rally attendee dead. "The fact that any American citizen would think what they did today would solve a problem in this country is absolutely disgusting," Johnson said, pausing as the crowd cheered.

"You wanna solve a problem on Election Day? Go in there and vote for who you want. You know why?" he continued. "Before you were born, an American soldier died for you to have the right to disagree with somebody else in this country.

"I'm tired of the hatred and division," Johnson went on to say, his voice rising above the swelling crowd. "I'm tired of people talking about Trump and Biden. Let me tell you something. There's people in this crowd that agree with Trump. There's people in this crowd that agree with Biden.

"That right was bought with sacrifice. Sacrifice from a dead police officer. Sacrifice from a dead firefighter. A dead soldier that went over and said, you know what, I'm gonna die for something bigger," Johnson said.

While it may be true that Johnson's audience-goers come from both sides of the political aisle, it seems that a majority of the crowd at this particular show were Trump supporters: When Johnson mentioned Biden's name, a chorus of boos erupted.

"So I don't give a damn who you vote for, and I don't give a damn about what's on the news," the singer continued. "There's only three things I give a damn about tonight. You listening to me? They are red, white and blue."

As the crowd's roar solidified into a chat of "U.S.A.! U.S.A.!," Johnson called for unity. He removed his cowboy hat, asking the men in the crowd to do the same, and led the audience in a rendition of "God Bless America."

What Do We Know About the Shooting at Donald Trump's Campaign Rally?

• On Saturday (July 13), as Donald Trump was speaking at a campaign rally for his 2024 U.S. presidential bid, shots rang out and Trump ducked down under the podium.
• He was photographed with a bloodied ear, but his injuries appeared minor as he was whisked away by United States Secret Service.
• The incident is being investigated as an assassination attempt.
• In a statement he released shortly afterwards, Trump recalled hearing a "whizzing sound" and feeling "the bullet ripping through the skin."
• The shooter has been identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pa. Crooks was killed by Secret Service members at the rally. No motive was immediately available.
• A press statement from the Secret Service indicates that one spectator was killed in the shooting, and two others are critically injured.
• The statement also indicates that the alleged shooter fired multiple shots from an elevated position outside the venue.

Carena Liptak is an Associate Editor and staff writer at Taste of Country. She specializes in breaking country music news, interviews and lists. In particular, she’s got a soft spot for sad songs — check out her roundup of the 50 Saddest Country Songs of All Time!