WASHINGTON — Following a thwarted assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump over the weekend, President Joe Biden has urged Congress to enhance resources for the Secret Service.

Biden expressed his relief about Trump’s safety, stating to reporters as he departed the White House on Monday, “Thank God the president is OK. I want to emphasize that the Service requires additional support. Congress should act on their needs.”

When asked what kind of support he had in mind, Biden indicated that the Secret Service might require more personnel.

“They are evaluating whether they need more personnel,” he commented.

Trump was unharmed during the apparent assassination attempt at his Florida golf club in West Palm Beach. Secret Service agents present with him identified the suspect, who was reportedly armed with an AK-47-style rifle. The suspect abandoned the weapon and escaped the area.

The FBI is investigating the incident, which marks the second assassination attempt involving Trump in two months. Just a weekend before the Republican National Convention, a shooter attacked a Trump rally, injuring the Republican presidential nominee and resulting in the death of an attendee, Corey Comperatore.

In a Sunday evening statement, Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, expressed her distress over yet another apparent assassination attempt on Trump and denounced political violence.

“As President Biden emphasized, our Administration will ensure that the Secret Service has all the necessary resources, capabilities, and protective measures to fulfill its essential mission,” Harris said in her statement.

Contributing: Bart Jansen