Trump shooting: Biden once said it's time to put him in a 'bullseye'. Now he regrets it

Did you know that, just days ahead of a failed assassination attempt on Donald Trump, US President Joe Biden had said his Republican rival for this year's presidential election should be put in the 'bullseye', an expression that means to target someone?

Biden reportedly made the comments in a call to donors earlier this month. But now he said he regrets it.

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Put Trump under bulls' eye: What exactly did Biden say?

According to a report in Politico, Biden was on a call to donors when he made the contentious remarks.

"I have one job, and that’s to beat Donald Trump. I’m absolutely certain I’m the best person to be able to do that. So, we’re done talking about the debate, it’s time to put Trump in a bullseye,” Biden said on July 8 in the private call with donors.

VIDEO - Trump shooting: 'Man on roof!', cops were warned before shots fired

Just in that same weekend, on July 13, Trump was targeted by 20-year-old shooter Thomas Matthews Crooks in a failed assassination attempt while the then presumptive Republican nominee for president was addressing a crowd in Pennsylvania. On Monday (July 15), Trump was officially named the Republican candidate for the November 5 presidential election at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

'I meant to focus on him,' Biden explains himself

In the first sit-down interview since the attack on Trump, Biden said he regretted having made the 'bullseye' remark, and said he meant to focus on Trump.

Biden's comments to donors had came amid growing calls for him to step aside from the election, after his disastrous debate performance against Trump on June 27.

In an interview to NBC News on Monday (July 15), Biden said: "It was a mistake to use the word. I didn't say crosshairs. I meant bullseye, I meant focus on him."

"Focus on what he’s doing. Focus on his policies. Focus on the number of lies he told in the debate.”

The interview was seen as his attempt to set the record straight after allegations that proper security was not provided to Trump.

After days of dilly-dallying, the Biden administration has approved Secret Service protection to another presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr.

In the NBC interview also, Biden insisted he is not going to exit the race.

(With inputs from agencies)