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JPMorgan chief Jamie Dimon joins leaders across industries who have spoken out in condemnation of political violence and disunity in the U.S. after an assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump this past weekend.
Top brass at several of the largest U.S. banks have made statements regarding the incident amid the banking sector’s second-quarter earnings season. Dimon, who helms the biggest U.S. bank by assets, joined the growing list of CEOs calling for unity and dialogue in a companywide email Sunday.
Here’s what the banker said in the memo:
“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.”
Trump was injured during an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Friday. At least three other people were harmed during the shooting, including one death. The gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Cooks, was shot dead by authorities.
The 68-year-old executive has long warned against alienating Trump voters, telling CNBC in January that he wished Democrats “would think a little more carefully when they talk about MAGA.”
Other banking chiefs have commented on the assassination attempt during their second-quarter earnings calls this week. (JPMorgan reported earnings and held its analyst call on Friday, prior to the shooting.)
Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon called the assassination attempt a “horrible act of violence” Monday and extended his condolences to those killed and injured during the shooting.
“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, 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 political violence, and gave his well wishes to the former president in a call with analysts Tuesday.
“We at Bank of America are clear there is no place for political violence in our great country, and we wish former president Trump a speedy recovery,” Moynihan said. “And our thoughts of course go out to the victims and their families, and others impacted by this terrible event.”
Ted Pick, CEO of Morgan Stanley, acknowledged the incident during the investment bank’s second-quarter earnings call Tuesday as well, calling for Americans to “find ways to unify and preserve our better selves.”