One year after the Butler, Pennsylvania, rally assassination attempt, President Trump opens up about the moment.
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During his My View with Lara Trump, the world leader spoke to his daughter-in-law about the terrifying ordeal.
“It was unforgettable,” he said while recalling the moment he was shot at. “I didn’t know exactly what was going on. I got a whack. People were screaming, and I got down quickly, fortunately, because I think they shot eight bullets.”
As Trump was speaking to the crowd in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, the assassination attempt suspect, Thomas Crooks, fired from a nearby rooftop. One of the bullets grazed Trump’s upper right ear.
Unfortunately, one of Trump’s supporters, Corey Comperatore, was fatally wounded while shielding his family from the bullets.
“One got me and the other got another, and one got another one,” President Trump said about the bullets. “And one killed Corey, the firefighter. Great guy.”
Trump further gave credit to a Secret Service sniper, who took down Crooks. He said the agent’s action presented even more tragedy that day.
“Our sniper, within less than five seconds, was able to get him from a long distance with one shot,” he explained. “If he didn’t do that, you would have had an even worse situation. It was really bad.”
President Trump continued by noting, “Just about four seconds, and that’s when it all stopped. He got him perfectly from a very long distance. So, we got a little bit lucky in that regard.”
Six Secret Service Agents Were Suspended Nearly a Year After President Trump’s Assassination Attempt
President Trump’s interview about the assassination attempt aired just days after six Secret Service agents were suspended without pay in connection with the incident. Trump said a Senate report detailed what went wrong during the rally.
“They briefed me, and I’m satisfied with it,” he said about the report.
The now world leader further acknowledged that there were serious security issues during the rally, which led to the attempt.
“They should have had somebody in the building – that was a mistake,” he pointed out. “They should have had communications with the local police.”
Trump further stated, “They weren’t tied in, and they should have been tied in.”
Despite the security mistakes, President Trump said he continues to trust federal authorities, including the Secret Service. “I have great confidence in these people,” he shared. “I know the people, and they’re very talented, very capable, but they had a bad day.
He then added, “I think they’ll admit that – they had a rough day.”