Saturday evening, the entire country watched on bated breath as former President Donald Trump was whisked off the stage with blood on his face by multiple Secret Service agents at his Butler, Pennsylvania campaign rally after several loud pops rang out through the crowd in what has now been dubbed an assassination attempt on a former United States POTUS.
Reports quickly confirmed that Donald Trump was grazed in his right ear by a bullet.
Multiple sources, including the Trump Campaign, the US Secret Service, and the ex-president himself have all confirmed that Donald Trump was shaken, but unharmed.
Butler County District Attorney Richard A Goldinger has also confirmed that the shooter, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was “neutralized” on the scene, and one rally attendee lost their life.
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In the aftermath of the violent event, the former president has begun to speak out in a variety of exclusive interviews.
Trump spoke with the Conservative Washington Examiner publication over the weekend, where he confirmed that he is making a major change to a big event in the wake of the attempt on his life.
However, in speaking to the New York Post in another exclusive interview, that took place aboard his private plane en route to Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention, the former president got a bit more personal as he recounted his physical injuries, as well as the “surreal” experience as a whole that “should” have left him dead.
The NYPost noted that Trump was wearing a loose white bandage over his right ear as he told the publication, “The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this, he called it a miracle.”
The outlet noted that Trump’s staff insisted that no photos be taken of the former president.
“I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,” Trump said. “I’m supposed to be dead.”
Donald harped heavily on the fact that had he not turned his head those few inches to look at the chart he had on illegal immigrants, he would have been shot through the head. Instead, thanks to that slight turn to the right, the bullet that was meant to claim his life only claimed a small piece of the top of his right ear, splattering blood across his face, seen in photos that will now go down in history books.
Trump went on to touch on the Secret Service response, noting that his protective detail tackled him so hard his shoes fell off.
As he spoke of the agents tackling him like “linebackers,” Donald reportedly unbuttoned his white, long-sleeve shirt and showed the interviewer a large bruise covering his right forearm.
Speaking of the now infamous photo of himself flanked by Secret Service agents, blood splattered across his face, with his fist in the air, 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.”
“I just wanted to keep speaking, but I just got shot.”
Trump also claimed that the doctor at the local hospital, which boasts a trauma center, told him that he’s never seen anyone survive a shot from an AR-15.
You can read the full New York Post interview here.
Featured image via screen capture
