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I should be dead, god kept me alive: Trump
Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally, calling it a surreal experience. The shooter acted alone, with no clear motives identified.
Donald Trump has said he is “supposed to be dead” after the assassination attempt on him at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, calling the incident a “surreal experience”, as he also made more detailed remarks urging for calm and national unity.
In one of his first interviews since the incident, the 78-year-old former president told conservative US media that he felt that he had been saved “by luck or by God”.
“I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,” the former US president said, speaking to the New York Post while en route to Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention starting on Monday, which will nominate him as the party’s candidate for the November 5 presidential election.
“The most incredible thing was that I happened to not only turn [my head] but to turn at the exact right time and in just the right amount,” he said, adding that the bullet that grazed his ear could have easily killed him.
“I’m supposed to be dead, I’m not supposed to be here,” he said. He called the entire incident a “surreal experience.”
A spectator was killed in the attack, while two other people were seriously injured. The 20-year-old gunman, who also died, has been named as Thomas Matthew Crooks.
Trump wore a white bandage that covered his right ear but his aides did not allow any photographs to be taken, said the Post.
“The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this, he called it a miracle,” Trump added.
“By luck or by God, many people are saying it’s by God I’m still here.” Trump also addressed the photos of him raising his fist and saying “Fight!” as he had blood on his face.
“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.” Trump told the paper he wanted to keep speaking following the shooting but the Secret Service insisted he go to the hospital.
Trump also said he appreciated the call he received from President Joe Biden, also expected to be his rival in the election, according to the Post, calling it “fine” and “very nice.” The paper reported that Trump suggested the campaign between him and Biden, a Democrat, could be more civil from now on.
The former president will announce at the convention this week his choice for a running mate, having cited as frontrunners Ohio U.S. Senator J.D. Vance, Florida U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, all of whom will speak at the at the gathering.
Trump held individual meetings with each of the three men late last week in what was effectively one last job interview, according to two sources who requested anonymity to disclose private conversations.
On the incident itself, FBI officials said on Sunday that the shooter acted alone.
The agency said it had yet to identify an ideology linked to the suspect or any indications of mental health issues or found any threatening language on the suspect’s social media accounts.
Crooks was a registered Republican, according to state voter records, and donated $15 to a Democratic political action committee when he was 17.
At the time of the shooting, he was employed as a dietary aide at the Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, which said Crooks’ background check was clean. The gun - an AR-style-5.56 caliber rifle - had been legally bought, said FBI officials, who believed it had been purchased by the suspect’s father.
The officials said “a suspicious device” was found in the suspect’s vehicle, which was inspected by bomb technicians and rendered safe. The Secret Service denied accusations by some Trump supporters that it had rejected a campaign request for more security.
The shots on Saturday appeared to come from outside the area secured by the Secret Service, the agency said.
Facing growing criticism over a massive security failure, the US Secret Service on Monday vowed to cooperate with an independent review.
“The Secret Service is working with all involved Federal, state and local agencies to understand what happened, how it happened, and how we can prevent an incident like this from ever taking place again,” the agency’s director Kimberly Cheatle said in a statement.
“We understand the importance of the independent review announced by President (Joe) Biden yesterday and will participate fully,” Cheatle added.
