By Akinsuroju Olubunmi
Trump Survives Assassination Attempt
Former President Donald Trump has broken his silence following an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. “I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,” Trump told the New York Post. “The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this, he called it a miracle. By luck or by God, many people are saying it’s by God I’m still here.”
Trump explained that he had turned his head slightly to the right to read a chart on illegal immigration when the bullet grazed him, a move that likely saved his life.
He described the Secret Service agents who rushed at him like “linebackers,” with another agent eliminating the gunman with “one shot right between the eyes.” “They did a fantastic job,” he said. “It’s surreal for all of us.”
As Secret Service agents escorted Trump off the stage, he was heard asking for his shoes. “The agents hit me so hard that my shoes fell off, and my shoes are tight,” he explained.
Reacting to images of him raising his fist and being surrounded by Secret Service agents following the shooting, Trump said, “A lot of people say it’s the most iconic photo they’ve ever seen.” He added, “They’re right and I didn’t die. Usually you have to die to have an iconic picture. I just wanted to keep speaking, but I just got shot.”
Trump also appreciated the “fine” and “very nice” call he received from President Biden after the event, noting that the race between them might be more civil going forward.
He praised his rally audience for their calmness during the incident. “A lot of places … you hear a single shot, everybody runs. Here there were many shots and they stayed,” Trump said. “I love them. They are such great people.”
Trump Survives Assassination Attempt