Donald Trump is set to make a bold return this Saturday to Butler, Pennsylvania, the site of a July 13 assassination attempt during one of his rallies. The former president, who survived the attack, will be joined by his running mate, J.D. Vance, first responders, family members of those injured, and tech billionaire Elon Musk.
The incident, which occurred as Trump addressed thousands of supporters, left one man dead and two others wounded before the sniper was killed by law enforcement. Despite the harrowing event, Trump has insisted on returning to the site, saying, “Butler has become quite a famous place — it’s like a monument now.”
Trump’s campaign has framed the incident as a pivotal moment in his presidential run, declaring that “he took a bullet for democracy.” On his return, Trump is expected to speak behind protective glass as a precaution.
The shooting unfolded just six minutes into Trump’s campaign speech. As he was glancing at immigration statistics, eight shots were fired. Trump winced, grabbed his ear, and ducked behind the podium as Secret Service agents rushed the stage. Blood was seen trickling across his face, but Trump defiantly raised his fist and rallied the crowd, shouting “fight, fight, fight,” creating an iconic moment for his campaign.
Reflecting on the attack, Trump recently said, “The first thing I asked was, ‘How many people are dead?’ We had a massive crowd, as far as the eye could see.” However, his actual first words, picked up by the stage microphone, were “let me get my shoes,” according to a witness, Erin Autenreith, who was in the front row.
The shooting shook the political landscape, with President Joe Biden and world leaders reaching out to Trump to offer support. The incident also sparked calls to lower the intensity of the already heated presidential race, but tensions soon resumed.
While Trump’s ear was grazed by a bullet fired from an AR-15-style rifle by the assailant, Thomas Crooks, he emerged otherwise unharmed. The Secret Service faced heavy criticism for failing to secure the area from where the shots were fired, which was only a few hundred feet from the stage.
The assassination attempt was the first of several dramatic twists in the 2024 White House race, including President Biden’s surprise withdrawal from the race and the nomination of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic candidate. In a separate incident on September 15, another man was arrested at Trump’s Florida golf course, armed with a rifle and a GoPro camera, in what the FBI labeled a second assassination attempt.
Some of Trump’s followers have fueled conspiracy theories, claiming that Democratic rhetoric portraying Trump as a threat to democracy has incited violence against him.
Merchandise sellers at Trump rallies quickly capitalized on the Butler shooting, producing T-shirts and memorabilia commemorating Trump’s narrow escape.
The gunfire at the rally claimed the life of Corey Comperatore, a fire chief who authorities said died protecting his family. Two other bystanders were wounded in the attack.
Reflecting on his return to Butler, Trump stated, “We’re going to be there on Saturday. It’s going to be a really big event, and we’ll celebrate the life of Corey. And I want to celebrate the two gentlemen that got hit really bad.”
