Donald Trump formally accepted the Republican Party’s presidential nomination on Thursday in a lengthy speech that touched on his brush with death just days ago and laid out his sweeping agenda.
He began by sharing his account of what happened in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, July 13, when a would-be assassin opened fire on him, missing his head by a quarter of an inch. By the grace of God, the bullet only grazed Trump's ear, but tragically, 50-year-old volunteer firefighter Corey Comperatore was killed shielding his family, and two other rally-goers, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, were critically injured.
Trump said he would never recount the story again because “it’s actually too painful to tell.”
It was a warm, beautiful day in the early evening in Butler Township in the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Music was loudly playing, and the campaign was doing really well. I went to the stage and the crowd was cheering wildly. Everybody was happy. I began speaking very strongly, powerfully and happily. Because I was discussing the great job my administration did on immigration at the southern border. We were very proud of it.
Behind me, and to the right, was a large screen that was displaying a chart of border crossings under my leadership. The numbers were absolutely amazing. In order to see the chart, I started to, like this, turn to my right, and was ready to begin a little bit further turn, which I’m very lucky I didn’t do, when I heard a loud whizzing sound and felt something hit me really, really hard. On my right ear. I said to myself, “Wow, what was that? It can only be a bullet.”
And moved my right hand to my ear, brought it down. My hand was covered with blood. Just absolutely blood all over the place. I immediately knew it was very serious. That we were under attack. And in one movement proceeded to drop to the ground. Bullets were continuing to fly as very brave Secret Service agents rushed to the stage. And they really did. They rushed to the stage.
These are great people at great risk, I will tell you, and pounced on top of me so that I would be protected. There was blood pouring everywhere, and yet in a certain way I felt very safe because I had God on my side. I felt that.
The amazing thing is that prior to the shot, if I had not moved my head at that very last instant, the assassin’s bullet would have perfectly hit its mark and I would not be here tonight. We would not be together. The most incredible aspect of what took place on that terrible evening, in the fading sun, was actually seen later. In almost all cases, as you probably know. And when even a single bullet is fired, just a single bullet, and we had many bullets that were being fired, crowds run for the exits or stampede. But not in this case. It was very unusual.
This massive crowd of tens of thousands of people stood by and didn’t move an inch. In fact, many of them bravely but automatically stood up, looking for where the sniper would be. They knew immediately that it was a sniper. And then began pointing at him. You can see that if you look at the group behind me. That was just a small group compared to what was in front.
Nobody ran and, by not stampeding, many lives were saved. But that isn’t the reason that they didn’t move. The reason is that they knew I was in very serious trouble. They saw it. They saw me go down. They saw the blood, and thought, actually most did, that I was dead.
They knew it was a shot to the head. They saw the blood. And there’s an interesting statistic. The ears are the bloodiest part. If something happens with the ears they bleed more than any other part of the body. For whatever reason the doctors told me that.
And I said, “Why is there so much blood?”
He said, “It’s the ears, they bleed more.”
So we learned something. But they just —
They just, this beautiful crowd, they didn’t want to leave me. They knew I was in trouble. They didn’t want to leave me. And you can see that love written all over their faces. True.
Incredible people. They’re incredible people. Bullets were flying over us, yet I felt serene. But now the Secret Service agents were putting themselves in peril. They were in very dangerous territory.
Bullets were flying right over them, missing them by a very small amount of inches. And then it all stopped. Our Secret Service sniper, from a much greater distance and with only one bullet used, took the assassin’s life. Took him out.
I’m not supposed to be here tonight. Not supposed to be here.
[Crowd chants “Yes, you are.”]
Thank you. But I’m not. And I’ll tell you. I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of almighty God.
And watching the reports over the last few days, many people say it was a providential moment. Probably was. When I rose, surrounded by Secret Service, the crowd was confused because they thought I was dead. And there was great, great sorrow. I could see that on their faces as I looked out. They didn’t know I was looking out; they thought it was over.
But I could see it and I wanted to do something to let them know I was OK. I raised my right arm, looked at the thousands and thousands of people that were breathlessly waiting and started shouting, “Fight, fight, fight.”
Thank you.
Once my clenched fist went up, and it was high into the air, you’ve all seen that, the crowd realized I was OK and roared with pride for our country like no crowd I have ever heard before. Never heard anything like it.
For the rest of my life, I will be grateful for the love shown by that giant audience of patriots that stood bravely on that fateful evening in Pennsylvania. (Transcript via NYT)
FULL VIDEO: Trump shares his experience of being the target of an assassination attempt.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 19, 2024
He promised to never tell this story again because it is too painful for him to recount. pic.twitter.com/KOenLYQypu
Saturday's attacked changed Trump, who emphasized the need for unity at this time of great division in America.
“As Americans, we are bound together by a single fate and a shared destiny. We rise together. Or we fall apart,” he said. “I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America.”
TRUMP: "I am running to be the president for all of America — not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America!" pic.twitter.com/SUkQgwDEbs
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 19, 2024