Grateful, defiant Trump recounts surviving ‘surreal’ assassination attempt at rally: ‘I’m supposed to be dead’

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses an assassination attempt on former U.S. President Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. It details Trump's recollection of the incident, including how he narrowly escaped a "kill shot" and the heroic actions of the Secret Service. The article also covers Trump's reflections on the experience, his plans to deliver a more unifying speech at the upcoming GOP convention, and his views on the potential impact of the assassination attempt on the upcoming election.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Trump's Recollection of the Assassination Attempt

1. What happened during the assassination attempt on Trump?

• Trump was speaking at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania when a would-be assassin shot at him.
• The bullet narrowly missed Trump, only tearing off a small piece of his ear and splattering blood on his forehead and cheek.
• Trump said he was "supposed to be dead" but turned his head slightly to the right at the last moment, which saved his life.
• Secret Service agents quickly rushed Trump off the stage and to a nearby hospital.

2. How did Trump describe the actions of the Secret Service?

• Trump commended the Secret Service agents for their heroic actions, saying they "came flying in like they were linebackers" as soon as the shooting started.
• He praised them for quickly gunning down the shooter, who was perched on a roof about 130 yards from the stage.
• Trump said the agents "did a fantastic job" and took out the shooter with "one shot right between the eyes."

3. What did Trump say about his physical condition after the attack?

• Trump showed a large bruise on his right forearm, indicating the force with which the Secret Service agents had rushed him off the stage.
• He also explained that his shoes had fallen off during the commotion, as the agents "hit me so hard that my shoes fell off."

[02] Trump's Reflections and Plans After the Assassination Attempt

1. How did Trump describe his mindset and plans after the attack?

• Trump said the experience had given him a "new lease on life" and changed his plans for his speech at the upcoming GOP convention.
• He had originally planned an "extremely tough speech" criticizing the Biden administration, but decided to throw that away and instead try to "unite our country."
• However, Trump acknowledged that uniting the country may be difficult due to deep political divisions on issues like immigration and transgender sports.

2. What did Trump say about his relationship with President Biden after the attack?

• Trump said he appreciated a call from President Biden, describing it as "fine" and saying Biden was "very nice."
• He suggested the campaign between them could be more civil going forward, though he did not provide specifics.
• Trump also said he had heard rumors that Biden would order the Department of Justice to drop its prosecutions of Trump, but there was no public confirmation of this.

3. How did Trump view the potential impact of the assassination attempt on the election?

• Trump expressed confidence that the assassination attempt would help his campaign, saying it had shifted the gambling odds in his favor and given him an 85% probability of victory.
• He acknowledged that the attempt, combined with Biden's poor performance in their first debate, would likely compound the swing in his favor as voters absorbed the events.
• However, Trump recognized that he still needs to "close the sale" with many voters who remain immune to his appeal, and that a unifying speech at the convention would be essential.