Former US President Donald Trump, reflecting on surviving an assassination attempt, expressed disbelief to the New York Post, remarking that he felt he “wasn’t supposed to be here.”
In an interview aboard his plane en route to Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention, where he is expected to be confirmed as the party’s presidential candidate, Trump recounted the harrowing incident. His right ear was bandaged, and he described the experience as “very surreal.”
Trump, 78 years old, recounted how a gunman targeted him at a campaign rally on Saturday, hitting his ear and leaving him bloodied, while tragically killing a bystander and injuring two others. He credited his survival to a slight tilt of his head as he was addressing the rally, looking at a chart on illegal immigration.
“By luck or by God, many people are saying it’s by God I’m still here,” Trump told the Post.
He commended the Secret Service agents for their swift response in neutralizing the shooter with precision. “They took him out with one shot right between the eyes,” he remarked. “They did a fantastic job. It’s surreal for all of us.”
The image of Trump defiantly raising his fist as he was escorted away by Secret Service agents quickly became iconic, gracing front pages worldwide and spreading widely on social media. Trump acknowledged the photo’s impact, stating, “A lot of people say it’s the most iconic photo they’ve ever seen,” adding humorously, “They’re right and I didn’t die. Usually you have to die to have an iconic picture.”
Following the attempt on his life, Trump explained that he scrapped his original speech for the Republican convention, which was set to criticize President Biden’s administration harshly. Instead, he opted for a new speech aimed at uniting the country, although he acknowledged the deep divisions among Americans.
“But I don’t know if that’s possible. People are very divided,” he concluded.
Punch