In an exclusive interview with the New York Post, former U.S. President Donald Trump recounted the harrowing experience of surviving an assassination attempt. “I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,” Trump said aboard his plane, en route to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where he is set to be confirmed as the party’s presidential candidate.
The incident occurred at a campaign rally on Saturday when a gunman shot Trump in the ear, leaving him with a bloodied face and a bandage covering his right ear. “It was a very surreal experience,” Trump described. The former president believes he narrowly escaped death by tilting his head to read a chart on illegal immigrants while speaking at the rally. “By luck or by God, many people are saying it’s by God I’m still here,” he reflected.
Tragically, a bystander was killed, and two others were wounded during the attack. Trump praised the swift action of Secret Service agents, who neutralized the shooter with a single shot. “They took him out with one shot right between the eyes,” he said, commending their efforts. “They did a fantastic job.”
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An image of Trump raising a defiant fist as Secret Service agents escorted him away has gone viral, appearing on front pages worldwide. “A lot of people say it’s the most iconic photo they’ve ever seen,” Trump remarked. “They’re right and I didn’t die. Usually, you have to die to have an iconic picture.”
In the aftermath of the attempt on his life, Trump revealed he is revising his planned speech for the Republican convention. Initially, he had prepared a tough critique of President Biden’s administration but decided to opt for a message aimed at uniting the country. “I hope to unite our country, but I don’t know if that’s possible. People are very divided,” he stated.
