US President Donald Trump.
Political tensions have risen in the United States over the sending of Crude pipe bombs targeting Hillary Clinton, former President Barack Obama, CNN and others in what can be called as a 'rash of attacks' aimed at prominent Democrats and a cable news network often criticised by political conservatives.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday condemned the act, terming it 'abhorrent'.
"This egregious conduct is abhorrent to everything we hold dear and sacred as Americans," Trump said.
"In these times we have to unify, we have to come together and send one very clear, strong, unmistakable message that acts or threats of political violence of any kind have no place in the United States of America," Trump said at a White House event on opioid crisis.
He said that his administration will spare "no resources or expense in this effort" to investigate who sent the packages.
"A major federal investigation is underway. This egregious conduct is abhorrent to everything we hold dear and sacred. We're extremely angry, upset, unhappy about what we witnessed this morning and we will get to the bottom of it," he said.
"The safety of the American people is my highest and absolute priority," Trump stated.
"The full weight of our government is being deployed to conduct this investigation and bring those responsible for these despicable acts to justice," he said.
The US President also called on the media to stop their "endless hostility" and "false attacks" in comments addressing a number of pipe bombs sent earlier in the day to Barack Obama, top Democrats and CNN.
Speaking to supporters at a campaign rally in Mosinee, Wisconsin, the US president began with measured remarks arguing public figures had a duty to tone down their rhetoric -- after the top opposition Democrats in Congress accused him of condoning violence and dividing Americans.
"No one should carelessly compare political opponents to historical villains, which is done, it's done all the time," Trump said.
"We should not mob people in public spaces or destroy public property. There is one way to settle our disagreements. It's called peacefully at the ballot box.
"As part of a larger national effort to bridge our divides and bring people together, the media also has a responsibility to set a civil tone and stop the endless hostility and constant negative and often times false attacks and stories," he added. "Have to do it. They've got to stop."
Earlier on Wednesday two 'potential explosive devices' were sent to the homes of Obama and Clinton that were later intercepted and proactively detonated. The New York Police has called the incident as an 'attempted terror attack'.
ALSO READ | Crude pipe bombs sent to Obama, Clintons, CNN New York office; 'terrorising acts despicable', says White House
Explosives were also found in package sent to the US news network CNN, after which Time Warner building in New York City, where the CNN bureau is located, was evacuated, the US Secret Service said.
The explosives being described by the New York Police Department as pipe bomb, has been received by several other important personnel, including at least two Democratic lawmakers.
The development comes two weeks before the crucial mid-term polls on November 6.
First Lady Melania Trump, speaking at the same event, said the attempted attacks on Clinton, Obama, their families, public officials, individuals and organisations, cannot be tolerated.
"We can not tolerate those cowardly attacks and I strongly condemn all who choose violence," she said.
"I'm grateful to the Secret Service as well as to the local and federal law enforcement for all they do on a daily basis to keep us safe and encourage people across the country to choose kindness over hatred," she added.
Responding to the development, Hillary Clinton said it's a sign of a "troubling time" in America.
"It is a troubling time, isn't it? It's a time of deep divisions and we have to do everything we can to bring our country together. We also have to elect candidates who will try to do the same," she said at a campaign event in Florida.
Clinton, who was the Democratic presidential candidate in 2016, thanked the Secret Service for intercepting the package.
"We are fine, thanks to the men and women of the Secret Service who intercepted the package sent to us long before it made its way to our home," she said.
The FBI said the package intended for the former first lady and secretary of state Clinton was found in the vicinity of her residence in Chappaqua, New York, but offered no additional comment, citing the ongoing investigation.
The Clintons have lived in Chappaqua, about 48 km north of New York City, since former president Clinton left office in 2001.
The comments were Trump's most extensive since the threats were reported.
He previously offered a tweet saying he "wholeheartedly" agreed with Vice President Pence's condemnation of the threats.
US Capitol Police are investigating a suspicious package addressed to Democratic Congressman Maxine Waters, multiple news outlets said.
Trump has singled out each individual for criticism since taking office, and he regularly derides CNN as "fake news."
Meanwhile, CNN chief Jeff Zucker criticised the White House for a "total and complete lack of understanding" of the seriousness of its attacks on the media, as his network's New York bureau was evacuated for five hours Wednesday following the discovery of an explosive device sent there.
Feelings were raw at the cable network because of a what it believed was a reluctance by the administration to discuss CNN as one of the targets of crude devices sent to political leaders, and the delivery of a fundraising email that attacked CNN that arrived in inboxes of supporters as the story unfolded. Trump's campaign later apologised for the email.
"The president, and especially the White House press secretary, should understand their words matter," said Zucker, president of CNN Worldwide. "Thus far, they have shown no comprehension of that." There was no immediate response from the White House.
The CNN attack was in one respect a case of mistaken identity. The package that included the explosive device and an envelope containing white powder was addressed to former CIA director John Brennan, a frequent Trump critic. Brennan is actually a contracted analyst at NBC News, although the package's street address was for the Time Warner Center in New York's Columbus Circle, where CNN's offices are.
CNN's Jim Sciutto and Poppy Harlow were on the air shortly after 10 am (local time), conducting a live interview about the devices sent to political leaders when the whooping sound of an alarm went off.
"Excuse me, that sounds like a fire alarm here. We'll keep you posted on that," Sciutto said. He continued the interview, but after one more question cut to a commercial.
After the break, he and Harlow were gone. They had evacuated, and correspondent Rene Marsh was hurriedly put on the air from a Washington studio. Wolf Blitzer, pulling in to the parking garage in Washington as this was happening, soon joined her.
Sciutto and Harlow then reported by phone from the street, then through a video stream, and then through a full CNN crew. CNN employees milled about in the streets, along with shoppers in the Time Warner Center mall, which was also evacuated.
Zucker was not among the evacuees. He was at the network's Atlanta headquarters on Wednesday, where he helped direct coverage from a control room.
CNN has been a frequent target of Trump's "fake news" barbs, and a "CNN sucks" chant broke out at a Monday campaign rally. Amid that backdrop, some at CNN were angered by an initial tweet by Sanders that condemned "the attempted violent attacks recently made against President Obama, President Clinton, Secretary Clinton and other public officials."
An hour later she sent another tweet that said the White House's condemnation "certainly includes threats made to CNN as well as current and former public servants." Trump, during an appearance at the White House on Wednesday afternoon, didn't mention CNN or any of the officials targeted by the device.
"No one is mentioning the name (CNN)," said network analyst Gloria Borger after Trump's appearance. "It's as if it can't roll off the tongue unless you're complaining about it."
Less than two hours after the CNN offices were evacuated, President Trump's campaign sent a fundraising email to some supporters that specifically targeted CNN and urging recipients to fight back against the "fake news' attacks and bias against hardworking Americans."
Campaign chairman Brad Parscale later apologised, saying it was a pre-programmed message that was not caught before news of the explosive device came out. Parscale said the campaign does not condone violence against CNN or anyone else.
CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, reporting from the street outside the Time Warner Center as employees began filing back in Wednesday afternoon, noted that he received messages of support online and from people he had seen since the news came out.
"You should take good where you find it," Cuomo said, "and you see a country that seems to be universally appalled by what has happened."
