Trump Reflects on Rally Shooting One Year Later in Butler, Pennsylvania

Butler, Pennsylvania — A year after surviving an assassination attempt during a campaign rally, former President Donald Trump reflected on the harrowing event that changed his life.

The incident occurred on July 13, 2024, as Trump addressed supporters at the Butler Farm Show. Just as he pointed to a chart about immigration statistics, gunshots rang out, forcing him to duck for cover.

“I didn’t know exactly what was going on. I got a whack,” Trump later recounted in an interview. “People were screaming, and I got down quickly, fortunately.” The shots came from 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who fired eight bullets from a rooftop, grazing Trump’s ear and tragically killing Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old firefighter attending the rally.

Secret Service agents immediately responded, escorting Trump from the stage. Refusing to hide, Trump raised his fist and urged the crowd to “fight,” inspiring chants of “U-S-A!” The gunman was shot dead by a Secret Service sniper, but the motive for the attack remains unclear.

In the aftermath, Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles, recalled her panic, believing Trump had been killed. “You cannot — it’s human — you can’t think otherwise,” Wiles said. She noted that a slight movement Trump made just before the shooting likely saved his life.

As a result of the attack, security protocols for Trump were significantly enhanced. An October 2024 report from the Department of Homeland Security criticized the Secret Service for its prior complacency and called for reforms to prevent similar events in the future.

Days after the attack, Trump appeared at the Republican National Convention with a bandage on his ear, stating, “I’m not supposed to be here tonight,” which elicited a supportive response from the audience.

Reflecting on his near-death experience, Trump has expressed gratitude for his survival. “I think it’s always in the back of his mind,” said Senator Lindsey Graham, a close friend. “He’s definitely a man who believed he had a second lease on life.”

One year later, Trump continues to convey a sense of purpose, stating, “I owe a lot. I think—I hope—the reason I was saved was to save our country.” He has surrounded himself with memorabilia from that day and refers to his experience as divine intervention.

Today, on the anniversary of the attack, Trump will attend the FIFA Club World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, highlighting his resilience in the wake of the shooting.