By Michael Goodwin
A grateful and at times defiant Donald Trump told The Post Sunday he’s “supposed to be dead” as he recalled the harrowing moment a would-be assassin shot at him at a Pennsylvania campaign rally.
The former president shared the “very surreal experience” that nearly ended his life during an interview aboard his private plane en route to Milwaukee for the GOP National Convention.
“The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this, he called it a miracle,” said Trump, who was sporting a large, loose white bandage that covered his right ear. His staff insisted that no photos be taken.
“I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,” Trump said. “I’m supposed to be dead.”
He said he would be if he had not turned his head slightly to the right to read a chart on illegal immigrants. At that instant, what would have been a kill shot tore off a small piece of his ear and splattered blood on his forehead and cheek.
Trump said that as Secret Service agents led him off stage, he still wanted to continue speaking to supporters, but the agents told him it wasn’t safe and they had to get him to a hospital.
He marveled at how the agents came flying in like “linebackers” as soon as the shooting started, and he unbuttoned his long-sleeve white shirt to show a large bruise on his right forearm.
He also cleared up a mystery about his shoes. On the video of the shooting and aftermath, as the burly agents tried to rush him off the stage for safety, he can be heard saying, “Wait, I want to get my shoes.”
As he explained in the interview, “The agents hit me so hard that my shoes fell off, and my shoes are tight,” he said with a smile.
He commended the Secret Service personnel for their heroic actions and praised them for gunning down the shooter, who was perched on a roof about 130 yards from the stage where Trump was speaking.
“They took him out with one shot right between the eyes,” the former president said as he pointed to the bridge of his nose.
“They did a fantastic job,” he added. “It’s surreal for all of us.”
Trump also addressed the incredible photo of him raising his fist and saying “Fight” three times as the agents tried to get him off stage and into an armored SUV.
“A lot of people say it’s the most iconic photo they’ve ever seen,” Trump said. “They’re right and I didn’t die. Usually you have to die to have an iconic picture.”
He added, “I just wanted to keep speaking, but I just got shot.”
The doctor at the local hospital, which has a trauma center, told him he’s never seen anyone survive getting hit by an AR-15, Trump recalled.
By luck or by God, many people are saying it’s by God I’m still here,” he said.
One man at the rally was shot and killed, and two were wounded. Asked if he had given any thought to attending the funeral of Corey Comperatore, the firefighter who died shielding his family from the killer’s gunfire, Trump said yes.
Then, turning to aides standing behind him, he said, “Get the numbers, I want to go to the hospital and call all the families.
Trump also praised the crowd at the rally, which he put at 55,000 people, for remaining calm.
“A lot of places, especially soccer games, you hear a single shot, everybody runs. Here there were many shots and they stayed.”
He added: “I love them. They are such great people.”
US Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) spent much of the flight talking to Trump and found his optimism “unbelievable.”
“He feels like he has a new lease on life,” Graham said.
There’s already some proof of that, as Trump related that his brush with death had changed his mind about the speech he will give Thursday to accept his party’s nomination for the third consecutive time.
“I had all prepared an extremely tough speech, really good, all about the corrupt, horrible administration,” he said, then suddenly added: “But I threw it away.”
God intervened as Trump turned his head 90 degrees to the right. Otherwise the shot would have hit at midpoint on the right side of his head. It is providential Trump survived because his task and purpose is to begin the process of saving this country from those who have evil intentions……
Godspeed President Trump
It was a setup, the American People need the facts, not from the FBlie, a Congressional investigation led by non rhino Republicans. And it would not be improper to include some private experts who are not infected with the DC uniparty power structure.
It wasn’t just DJT who dodged the bullet, but all America.
The only pre-sniper photo I’ve seen if the shooter was in a documentary created by BLACKROCK.
We need to learn how this young man was brought into the BLACKROCK realm.
https://countylocalnews.com/article1/2024/07/14/20-year-old-trump-assassin-thomas-crooks-featured-in-blackrock-ad/
Hitler attributed multiple failed assassination attempts to divine intervention.
Have you no shame? What possible reason do you have for being alive today?
God has not endorsed your cult leader.
Sure he has. Trump has defied death. But, not being of faith it would be hard for you to understand God’s hand in this. Gone along now and spew your hate. You of course must realize absolutely no one hear agrees with anything you spew.
Ban hammer incoming. I will no longer tolerate anyone comparing Trump to Hitler. One and only warning.
Come on greg, I triple dog dare you.
The fact is that Hitler DID attribute multiple failed assassination attempts to divine intervention, so go ahead and ban me. I’ll leave you with a couple of pertinent quotes:
Good enough for me. You tip toed around the edges but at the end of the day, you made the comparison. Cheers.
Your wish is granted. Buh bye
He has to repeat what he sees on television and in far left journalism. He has zero comprehension that its that kind of talk that sent a bullet so close to killing a candidate, and did murder a really good man that came to a rally.