As shots were fired out during former President Donald Trump’s Pennsylvania rally on Saturday, experts revealed the split-second decision he made that probably saved his life.
According to Israeli Special Operations veteran Aaron Cohen, if Trump hadn't moved his head as the bullet barreled toward him, his chance of survival would have been low.
It was a miracle that Trump's first instinct was to turn his head away the second the shot was fired. If he hadn’t, this would be a very different article.
“It's very clear to me that had the president's head been straight, and if that round had gone into the ear, it would have been lights out. The fact that he just happened to be turned this way with that shot coming in is what saved his life,” Cohen told Fox News.
He found it disturbing to witness how long it took Secret Service agents to get Trump to the ground. Cohen explained that from a protection standpoint, it took a “lifetime.” Also, criticizing how long it took the car that agents rushed Trump into, Cohen suggested the Secret Service was not prepared for the incident.
“A lot of people on the news didn't want to be critical of the Secret Service but, as I watch this again, I'm astounded at the way things played out because it appeared as though it was being that the defense of Trump and the movements off were being made up as they went along, and that is not the way this elite service should be prepared for this and carrying out these tactics and this type of situation,” he added.
Trump said that he was turning his head to look at the screen that showed illegal immigration statistics.
"That chart that I was going over saved my life," Trump told former White House doctor Ronny Jackson.
REPORT: Donald Trump says a last millisecond head tilt likely saved his life as slowed-down footage shows the bullet grazing his ear.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 14, 2024
If Trump hadn't moved his head, the bullet would likely have hit the rear of his head, ending his life.
Trump says he turned his head to look at… pic.twitter.com/uXIEjHIcRA
The shooter, who was shot and killed by authorities, was ID’d as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. He was seen crawling on the roof of a nearby building with a rifle in his hand before pulling the trigger and aiming at Trump.