1 Year On, Trump Says "God Alone" Saved Him From Assassin's Bullet
US President Donald Trump said God spared him to save the country from "those who seek its ruin," a year after he survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
"It remains my firm conviction that God alone saved me that day for a righteous purpose: to restore our beloved Republic to greatness and to rescue our Nation from those who seek its ruin," he said in a statement released Sunday.
Trump called the July 13, 2024, shooting a defining moment, adding the country now stood in "a new Golden Age."
Recounting the events of that day, he said gunfire erupted eight minutes after he took to the stage at Butler Farms to address thousands of supporters.
"An assassin's bullet came within a quarter inch of ending my life and silencing our movement to restore American greatness," he said. "Yet, by the hand of providence and the grace of Almighty God, my life was spared."
The shooter, identified by the FBI as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired from a rooftop near the rally site. The attack left Trump with a minor injury to his ear, killed firefighter and Trump supporter Corey Comperatore, and wounded two others in the crowd. A Secret Service sniper shot Crooks dead moments after the attack.
In his message, Trump honoured the first responders, medical personnel, and fellow attendees who acted swiftly that day. "These men and women arrived at the rally grounds as ordinary Americans, but left as heroes," he said. "They represent the very best of our Nation, and we are forever indebted for their kindness and compassion."
He paid special tribute to Corey Comperatore, describing him as a man of "inspiring love, valor, and faithfulness" who died protecting his wife and two daughters.
On July 12, Trump briefly recalled the shooting while speaking at the Iowa State Fairgrounds during the launch of America's 250th anniversary celebrations. From behind a wall of bulletproof glass, he paused after hearing what sounded like distant fireworks. "Did I hear what I think I heard?" he asked. "Don't worry, it's only fireworks. I hope. Famous last words." He added, "You always have to think positive. I didn't like that sound, either."
Trump concluded his Sunday statement, saying, "Today, we pay tribute to their spirit of love, unity, and resilience, and we proclaim with one voice the epic battle cry that has reverberated all across the world: 'Fight, fight, fight!'"
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