Reflecting on the assassination attempt during a tumultuous rally nearly a year ago, former President Trump shared that he still experiences some pain in his ears but believes he was “saved by someone very special” after the incident in July 2024.
“It was quite a lot to handle. Honestly, it felt surreal,” Trump said, speaking to Will Kane from Fox News while assessing flood damage in Texas on Friday.
“You know, when you’re in a crowd, everything suddenly feels strange. I managed to get out quickly, but people were screaming and trying to escape. It was just… chaotic. It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that it’s been a year,” he added.
This discussion revolved around a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, where a gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired shots from a nearby building, tragically killing one person and grazing Trump’s ears with a bullet. The attacker was subsequently shot by the Secret Service.
A few days post-incident, Trump, nursing bandaged ears, was formally announced as the GOP presidential candidate at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
Trump, along with several allies, suggested that divine intervention saved him that day, and he reiterated that sentiment on Friday.
On the topic of firearm incidents, he remarked, “Those who have experience with shooting—I’m not one of them—often say it’s nearly impossible to misfire. It felt targeted, yet somehow it went wrong. I still get that unsettling feeling sometimes.”
The assassination attempt has spurred various investigations, focusing particularly on the training methods within the US Secret Service. Following a confrontational hearing on Capitol Hill, the former chief resigned, and six agents were suspended this month for their actions during the rally.
Trump returned to Butler in October for another event honoring Corey Comperatore, stating he felt a “responsibility” to be there. His family also visited Washington in March for his joint address to Congress.
The interview coincided with news about Ryan Wesley Routh, who is being held for another alleged assassination attempt outside Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Routh has been charged with first-degree murder and attempted terrorism after reportedly discarding a firearm in a bush last September, just months after the rally shooting. He also faces several federal charges stemming from an FBI investigation.
