Trump spoke extensively about the July 13 assassination attempt
‘So many people have asked me what happened, so I will tell you what happened. You will never hear it from me again, because it is too painful to tell.
It was a warm, beautiful day in the early evening in Butler Township, Pennsylvania. The music was loud and the campaign was going well.
I went on stage and the audience cheered wildly, and I started talking very cheerfully because I was talking about the great job my administration had done on immigration at the southern border.
To the right behind me was a large screen showing a map of the border crossings under my supervision.
The numbers were amazing. In order to see the graph I started to turn to the right and was ready to turn again, which I thankfully didn’t, when I heard a loud whooshing sound and felt something hit my right ear very hard.
I thought to myself, “Wow, what was that? It can only be a bullet.” I put my right hand up to my ear, lowered it, and my hand was covered in blood.
I knew immediately that it was very serious, that we were being attacked, and in one movement I dropped to the ground.
The bullets continued to fly as brave Secret Service agents ran to the stage and jumped on top of me to protect me.
There was blood everywhere, but still I felt safe in some way, because I had God on my side.
The amazing thing is that if I hadn’t moved my head at the very last moment before the shot, the assassin’s bullet would have hit its target and I wouldn’t be here tonight.
The most incredible aspect of what happened on that terrible night in the fading sun was seen later. In almost all cases, and even when only one bullet is fired – and we had many – the crowds rush for the exits or stampede, but not in this case.
This huge crowd of tens of thousands of people stood there and did not move an inch. In fact, many of them bravely, but automatically, stood up to see where the sniper would be, and then began to point at him.
Nobody ran away, and by not running, many lives were saved. But that’s not the reason they didn’t move. The reason is they knew I was in serious trouble, they saw all the blood and thought I was dead, and they just didn’t want to leave me behind, and you can see that love on their faces.
Bullets flew over us, but I felt calm—but now the Secret Service agents were putting themselves in harm’s way. And then it all stopped. Our Secret Service sniper, from a much greater distance and with only one bullet, took out the assassin.
I shouldn’t be here tonight. I’m standing here before you in this arena just by the grace of Almighty God. Many people say it was providential.
When I stood up, surrounded by the Secret Service, the crowd was confused because they thought I was dead. There was great sorrow on their faces until I raised my right arm, looked at the thousands of people waiting breathlessly and began to shout: FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT.
When I raised my clenched fist high in the air, the crowd realized I was doing well. They roared with pride for our country like I had never heard before.
For the rest of my life I will be grateful for the love shown by the large crowd of patriots who bravely stood their ground that fateful night in Pennsylvania.’