JPMorgan chief Jamie Dimon has joined leaders across various industries in condemning political violence and disunity in the U.S. following an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump this past weekend.
Several top executives from major U.S. banks have issued statements regarding the incident during the banking sector’s second-quarter earnings season. Dimon, who leads the largest U.S. bank by assets, added his voice to the calls for unity and dialogue in a companywide email on Sunday.
“We are deeply saddened by the political violence and the assassination attempt on former President Trump last evening. On behalf of our entire leadership team, our thoughts today are with the former President, his family, and the families of those who were tragically injured and killed. We must all stand firmly together against any acts of hate, intimidation, or violence that seek to undermine our democracy or inflict harm. It is only through constructive dialogue that we can tackle our nation’s toughest challenges,” Dimon wrote.
Trump was injured during an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Friday. At least three other people were affected, including one fatality. The gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Cooks, was shot dead by authorities.
The 68-year-old executive has long cautioned against alienating Trump voters, expressing in January to CNBC that he wished Democrats would be more considerate when discussing MAGA supporters.
Other banking chiefs have also commented on the incident during their second-quarter earnings calls this week. Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon described the assassination attempt as a “horrible act of violence” on Monday and extended his condolences to the families of those killed and injured.
“It is a sad moment for our country,” Solomon said. “There’s no place in our politics for violence. I urge people to come together and to treat one another with respect, civility, and dignity, especially when we disagree. We cannot afford division and distrust to get the better of us. I truly hope this is a moment that will spur reflection and action that celebrate what unites us as citizens and as a society.”
Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan also condemned the political violence and wished the former president a speedy recovery during a call with analysts on Tuesday.
“We at Bank of America are clear that there is no place for political violence in our great country, and we wish former President Trump a speedy recovery,” Moynihan stated. “Our thoughts also go out to the victims and their families, and others impacted by this terrible event.”
Ted Pick, CEO of Morgan Stanley, recognized the incident during the investment bank’s second-quarter earnings call on Tuesday, urging Americans to “find ways to unify and preserve our better selves.”