“This Time, It Was a Big One”: Trump Reflects on the Moment a Bullet Nearly Took His Life

 

Donald Trump was in his element that summer evening in Butler, Pennsylvania—energised, grinning, rallying his base as he has done for nearly a decade. I had followed him through his improbable rise in 2016, his tumultuous presidency, and his loss in 2020. This rally was supposed to be just another campaign stop, one more crowd, one more headline. But everything changed in seconds.

 

 

Trump had just taken the stage. Applause roared. He stood a few feet away from me, my daughter Shannon, and my son-in-law Michael. As he began to speak, a large chart about illegal immigration appeared behind him. In a moment that now feels like divine intervention, he turned to look at the screen. Then the gunfire started.

 

Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop.

 

The sound cracked through the air like firecrackers, but I knew instantly they weren’t. Shannon, instinctively in denial, asked if they were fireworks. Then, almost absurdly, whether Michael had tripped on a wire. We’re a family of gun owners—we knew better.

 

 

I saw Trump flinch. His hand went to his ear. Blood marked his face. As the stage erupted into chaos, I heard someone yell, “Get down, get down, get down!” Secret Service agents swarmed the stage in a blur of navy blue. “Where are we going?” a female agent cried out, her voice fading under the pressure. “Shooter’s down,” someone said moments later. “Are we good to move?” came the response.

 

 

 

Michael tackled Shannon to the ground. I was knocked down by Michel Picard, one of Trump’s press advance team, who covered me with his body. His voice was calm, but his hands trembled. “Stay still, stay calm,” he whispered, his knees pinning me to the gravel.

 

The crowd, strangely, wasn’t screaming. From the dirt, I could still hear them cheering. One woman’s primal scream cut through it all. As the agents moved Trump, I heard him insist, “Let me get my shoes.” An agent said, “Hold on, sir, your head is bloody.” But he was determined. “Let me get my shoes,” he repeated.

 

 

And then, defiantly, he lifted his fist. “Fight. Fight. Fight,” he rasped. The crowd exploded with chants of “USA! USA!” He did it again, three times, as agents ushered him offstage.

 

A rifle barrel from a Secret Service agent hovered just above me. Oddly, I wasn’t afraid. Trump’s MAGA hat, knocked off in the scuffle, landed next to me in the dirt.

 

Later, I saw Trump’s Diet Coke still perched on the podium next to a bloodied rag. Then the call came. “Good morning, Salena! It’s Donald Trump. I wanted to see if you and your daughter Shannon and Michael are OK. And I wanted to apologise that we weren’t able to do the interview.”

 

Stunned, I answered. “All due respect, but are you f***ing kidding me? You’ve just been shot.” He laughed. “Seriously, Salena, are you and your family OK?” he asked again.

 

 

We spoke for 12 minutes. He marveled at the lack of chaos, at the courage of the crowd. He mourned the death of Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old firefighter at the rally, and expressed concern for the two other men who had been hit. He described the moment he was shot—the breeze on his face, the thought that maybe it was a mosquito, “the greatest mosquito in history.”

 

“If I had done things the way I always do, that bullet would have struck between both ears,” he told me. He kept asking aloud why he had changed his routine that day. “Why didn’t I wait to talk about the chart?” He repeated the question as if searching for meaning.

Then, finally, he paused. “God,” he said. “The hand of God.”

 

He told me he believed that divine presence had been with him before—in the impeachments, the legal battles. “None of that compares to what happened yesterday,” he added. “But this time—it was a big one.”

 

Excerpt from Butler by Salena Zito.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Times  2025-06-28

 

 

14 minutes ago, WDSmart said:

If at first you don't succeed... 

 

True socialist comment. How vile. 

1 minute ago, bluebluewater said:

I sure wish that guy had spent a little more time at the range . . . 

 

I dont care for Trump but your comment is totally disgusting. 2 people playing coy in this thread already in less than 1 page.

 

 

 

45 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

That time the Almighty was protected by the most Almighty. 

Similar to Hitler.

The end was not so pleasant 

He was lucky, period. If that man was a better shot we would have a different president now. Shooting at a president campaigning is a cowardly act, no matter who the candidate. Similar to Hitler? Hitler committed suicide like a coward. Are you saying God protected Hitler, one of the most vile creatures ever to walk this planet?

11 minutes ago, blaze master said:

 

True socialist comment. How vile. 

probably a patriot.

Just now, soalbundy said:

probably a patriot.

 

That poster has made it clear on many occasions he is in fact a hard core supporter of socialism. 

 

There are no patriots in that mindset. 

11 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

He was lucky, period. If that man was a better shot we would have a different president now. Shooting at a president campaigning is a cowardly act, no matter who the candidate. Similar to Hitler? Hitler committed suicide like a coward. Are you saying God protected Hitler, one of the most vile creatures ever to walk this planet?

No

How classy the left is. 

Just now, blaze master said:

 

That poster has made it clear on many occasions he is in fact a hard core supporter of socialism. 

 

There are no patriots in that mindset. 

Anyone who wants to get rid of this 'clear and present danger' to democracy is a patriot.

As for your socialism comment (the bogeyman from McCarthyism) there are many struggling Americans who would benefit from a system that doesn't ruin you because of a medical emergency.

the fishy thing about this is that it appears there was no damage to Trump's ear: no scar, no scab, nothing. This photo was first after he took the bandage off... I dunno... https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/07/27/13/SEI214324455.jpg?quality=75&width=1368&auto=webp

 

I really hate that shooter, not because he tried to kill trump, but because it was his botched attempt that probably resulted in all the sympathy votes that made this stupid clown president.

I know it's a very controversial topic, but I've talked to a few doctors about this, and ear wounds do not heal. Ever. So how did his ear miraculously heal after a week after being struck by a high caliber bullet? 

1 hour ago, blaze master said:

 

True socialist comment. How vile. 

Socialist? Maybe you should go [back] to school...

 

"Socialism is an economic system in which industries are owned by workers rather than by private businesses."

 

2 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I know it's a very controversial topic, but I've talked to a few doctors about this, and ear wounds do not heal. Ever. So how did his ear miraculously heal after a week after being struck by a high caliber bullet? 

That ear wounds do not heal is ridiculous. They actually heal very quickly, given the high blood flow. 

 

The caliber of the bullet makes no difference, as it just nicked the ear. Have you ever nicked yourself shaving? Does it take a long time to heal? Does it leave a big scar? 

 

So, is it your position that it was staged or what? 

A number of posts advocating extreme violence have been removed.

 

9. You will not post disruptive or inflammatory messages. You will respect other members and post in a civil manner. Personal attacks, insults or hate speech posted on the forum or sent by private message are not allowed.

Sadly one person, standing behind Trump, was shot and died. Those were real bullets, and intended for DJT. 

3 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

How classy the left is. 

And your leader is classy.........?      

Just now, transam said:

And your leader is classy.........?      

My leader? 

3 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

My leader? 

Yes............😉

It's times such as this when the left show their true nasty colors. 

 

4 hours ago, blaze master said:

 

I dont care for Trump but your comment is totally disgusting. 2 people playing coy in this thread already in less than 1 page.

 

 

 

Thats what theyre like. 

4 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

He was lucky, period. If that man was a better shot we would have a different president now. Shooting at a president campaigning is a cowardly act, no matter who the candidate. Similar to Hitler? Hitler committed suicide like a coward. Are you saying God protected Hitler, one of the most vile creatures ever to walk this planet?

Hitler went off Argentina while many other tops Nazis went to the US.

2 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

That ear wounds do not heal is ridiculous. They actually heal very quickly, given the high blood flow. 

 

The caliber of the bullet makes no difference, as it just nicked the ear. Have you ever nicked yourself shaving? Does it take a long time to heal? Does it leave a big scar? 

 

So, is it your position that it was staged or what? 

The high blood flow is also why there was so much blood from a graze..same with a head wound

 

I find is extremely odd that this dopped out of the news cycle within a few days, didnt seem to be any investigation into the shooter.

Did the msm not cover it because it gave Trump the wrong kind of attention they want or was it something more sinister?

 

Why of all rallies did CNN chose to stream that one in full

21 minutes ago, frank83628 said:

Hitler went off Argentina while many other tops Nazis went to the US.

Of course, like many opinions of other things, there are those who use conspiracy theories. I actually saw him at Starbucks in 1974 when I graduated high school. He bought me an ice coffee and we chatted awhile.He was wearing a Met's jersey with a I voted for Nixon cap...............https://www.historyextra.com/period/second-world-war/did-hitler-escape-bunker-survive-argentina-south-america-conspiracy-real-history-facts/.

3 hours ago, Emdog said:

the fishy thing about this is that it appears there was no damage to Trump's ear: no scar, no scab, nothing. This photo was first after he took the bandage off... I dunno... https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/07/27/13/SEI214324455.jpg?quality=75&width=1368&auto=webp

 

That's not the only fishy thing about this whole episode. It reeks to high heaven of a conspiracy. Are people actually supposed to believe that the alleged shooter climbed onto a roof carrying a gun a short distance from where Trump was speaking, and was observed by several people including law enforcement personnel?
Seriously??

12 minutes ago, BLMFem said:

That's not the only fishy thing about this whole episode. It reeks to high heaven of a conspiracy. Are people actually supposed to believe that the alleged shooter climbed onto a roof carrying a gun a short distance from where Trump was speaking, and was observed by several people including law enforcement personnel?
Seriously??

Like Oswald, he was put there by someone to kill Trump.  No way he could have gotten that close otherwise. 120 meters is an easy shot unless he choked from being nervous or Trump moved. You can't miss that close intentionally from that distance no matter how good you are. 

By the grace of God President Trump was saved. This also applies to the good-ol-USA being saved from the likes of word salad Kamala. 

21 minutes ago, BLMFem said:

That's not the only fishy thing about this whole episode. It reeks to high heaven of a conspiracy. Are people actually supposed to believe that the alleged shooter climbed onto a roof carrying a gun a short distance from where Trump was speaking, and was observed by several people including law enforcement personnel?
Seriously??

So you going with it was staged by Trumps side?

If so, with all the scrutiny Trump gets over absolutely everything, you dont think MSM would be all over it , try to expose it as fake?

the fact the story was buried and little to no investigation was done suggests, if anything it was tied to the opposition side ., or whats commonly known as 'the deep state'

 Within 48hrs the Dems wee back to labelling Trump a threat both democracy and America

13 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

Like Oswald, he was put there by someone to kill Trump.  No way he could have gotten that close otherwise. 120 meters is an easy shot unless he choked from being nervous or Trump moved. You can't miss that close intentionally from that distance no matter how good you are. 

Trump moved his head a couple of inches was a pretty good shot apart from that