Former President Trump is breaking his silence about the assassination attempt against him. The attempt occurred during a rally on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,” Trump told the New York Post. “I’m supposed to be dead.”
“The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this, he called it a miracle,” Trump said. He spoke to the newspaper on his private plane while heading to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for the Republican National Convention. “By luck or by God, many people are saying it’s by God I’m still here.”
I was waiting to confirm whether this image was real before I shared it because I could hardly believe it. It is confirmed authentic by the New York Times. Unspeakably harrowing. https://t.co/tezeTcoDzb pic.twitter.com/KkSMXMg2uX
— Andrew T. Walker (@andrewtwalk) July 14, 2024
Trump revealed that if he hadn’t turned his head slightly to the right to read a chart on illegal immigration, the bullet that grazed him would have been fatal.
Republican presidential candidate Trump was moved from the stage at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa. The incident happened on Saturday, July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
He described the Secret Service agents who rushed at him like “linebackers.” He mentioned that another agent eliminated the gunman with “one shot right between the eyes.”
“They did a fantastic job,” Trump told the Post. “It’s surreal for all of us.”
As the Secret Service agents rushed him off the stage, Trump was heard saying he wanted to get his shoes.
“The agents hit me so hard that my shoes fell off, and my shoes are tight,” he explained to the Post.
Reacting to images of him raising his fist and being surrounded by Secret Service agents, Trump said, “A lot of people say it’s the most iconic photo they’ve ever seen.”
“They’re right and I didn’t die. Usually, you have to die to have an iconic picture,” he added. “I just wanted to keep speaking, but I just got shot.”
Trump appreciated the “fine” and “very nice” call he received from President Biden afterward. He noted that the race between them could be more civil going forward.
He praised his rally audience for staying calm during the entire incident.