Trump extends words of comfort to 'a nation in mourning'

President Donald Trump embraced the role of consoler-in-chief Wednesday, delivering a solemn address acknowledging the bravery of those in Las Vegas and the resilience of a nation enduring another tragedy at the hands of a mass shooter.

“The mass murder that took place on Sunday night fills America’s heart with grief,” the president said in prepared remarks from Las Vegas after meeting with civilian heroes and first responders. “America is truly a nation in mourning.”

A gunman opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino into a country music festival, killing 58 people and injuring more than 500. Trump visited with victims, families and medical personnel earlier Wednesday at the University Medical Center. He asked God to heal the wounds, ease the suffering and expedite the healing of those who endured what he called a “vicious attack.”

“Many families tonight will go to bed in a world that is suddenly empty. The people they so dearly love were torn away from them forever,” Trump said. “Our souls are stricken with grief. For every American who lost a husband or wife, a mother or a father, a son or a daughter, we know that your sorrow feels endless. We stand together to help you carry your pain. You’re not alone. We will never leave your side.”

Although Americans struggle to explain to their children “how such evil can exist, how there can be such cruelty and such suffering,” Trump said, America can’t be defined “by the evil that threatens us or the violence that incites such terror.”

The president cast America as a nation defined by love and courage, a place where the goodness of its people shines in the darkest moments. - Read More

Trump extends words of comfort to 'a nation in mourning' - POLITICO

Solemn Trump in Las Vegas: 'America truly a nation in mourning ...