"I just got shot": Trump gives first interview after assassination attempt
In his first interview since a failed assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, Donald Trump provided new insights into his harrowing experience and "miraculous" survival. The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired upon the former president during his speech.
Speaking aboard his private jet to a New York Post journalist, Trump described the weekend’s events as a “very surreal experience".
“The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this, he called it a miracle,” Trump, wearing a white bandage over his right ear, told the Post. “I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead.”
Trump recounted that his survival was due to a slight turn of his head to the right to read a chart on illegal immigrants. At that precise moment, what could have been a fatal shot tore off a small piece of his ear, splattering blood on his forehead and cheek.
As Secret Service agents quickly led him off stage, Trump expressed his desire to continue speaking to his supporters. However, agents insisted it wasn’t safe and rushed him to a hospital. He marvelled at how the agents reacted, comparing them to "linebackers" as they shielded him.
Unbuttoning his long-sleeve white shirt, Trump revealed a large bruise on his right forearm, evidence of the forceful protection provided by the agents.
Trump had previously posted on his social media account, Truth Social, to thank the Secret Service and law enforcement. “The agents hit me so hard that my shoes fell off, and my shoes are tight,” he said.
Microphones at the podium captured the urgent commands from security telling Trump to “get down, get down” before he was helped back up. In the commotion, Trump was heard saying, “let me get my shoes,” before being escorted to a waiting car.
In a powerful photograph that has since circulated widely, Trump, after being shot, stood and raised his fist, shouting “fight” three times to the crowd as Secret Service agents tried to move him offstage.
“A lot of people say it’s the most iconic photo they’ve ever seen,” Trump said of the image. “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.”
The rally saw two people killed, including the shooter, and two others injured. Reflecting on his survival, Trump told reporters that “by luck or by God” he was still here.
Images: Xinhua News Agency/Shutterstock Editorial