Donald Trump was shot in the ear during a Saturday campaign rally, causing his blood to splatter across his face and prompting his security agents to rush to his aid. Despite the incident, he later emerged, fist raised in the air, seemingly mouthing the words "Fight! Fight! Fight!" According to the Secret Service, the shooter was killed, one rally attendee died, and two other spectators were injured. The incident is being investigated as an assassination attempt, a source told Reuters.
Trump, 78, had just begun his speech when the shots were fired. He instinctively grabbed his right ear with his right hand, examined his hand, and then dropped to his knees behind the podium as Secret Service agents shielded him. Approximately a minute later, with his red "Make America Great Again" hat dislodged, he was heard saying "wait, wait" before being escorted into a vehicle.
"I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear," Trump stated on his Truth Social platform following the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles north of Pittsburgh. "Much bleeding took place." The shooter's identity and motive remained unclear, but both Republicans and Democrats swiftly condemned the violence. The Trump campaign reported that he was "doing well."
The shooting occurred less than four months before the November 5 election, where Trump is set to face a rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden. Most opinion polls, including those by Reuters/Ipsos, indicate a close contest. Biden expressed that "there’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it." Republican U.S. Representative Ronny Jackson of Texas revealed that his nephew was wounded at the rally, having been grazed in the neck by a bullet.
Witness Ron Moose, a Trump supporter present at the rally, described the chaos: "I heard about four shots and I saw the crowd go down and then Trump ducked also real quick. Then the Secret Service all jumped and protected him as soon as they could. We are talking within a second they were all protecting him." Moose also mentioned seeing a man being chased by officers in military uniforms and hearing additional shots, though he was unsure who fired them. Snipers were later positioned on the roof of a warehouse behind the stage.
The BBC interviewed an eyewitness who claimed to have seen a man armed with a rifle crawling up a roof near the event. This individual, whose identity was not disclosed by the BBC, said he and others tried to alert security. The Secret Service indicated that the shots appeared to come from outside the secured area. The FBI has taken the lead in investigating the attack.
Trump is scheduled to receive his party's formal nomination at the upcoming Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson condemned the act of political violence, stating it has no place in the country and should be unanimously and forcefully condemned. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed horror at the incident and relief that Trump was safe, emphasizing that political violence has no place in the nation.
Biden's campaign temporarily suspended its television ads and all other outbound communication. Recent Reuters/Ipsos polling reveals that Americans are increasingly concerned about rising political violence, with two out of three respondents fearing violence could follow the election. Some of Trump's Republican allies believe the attack was politically motivated, with U.S. Representative Steve Scalise calling for an end to incendiary rhetoric.
Hardline Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene accused Democrats of wanting the incident to happen, stating they have wanted Trump gone for years. Trump, who served as president from 2017-2021, has easily surpassed his rivals for the Republican nomination and has largely unified the party, despite initial wavering in support after the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. He entered the year facing multiple legal challenges, including four separate criminal prosecutions, but recent developments have halted some of these cases.
Trump argues, without evidence, that all four prosecutions were orchestrated by Biden to prevent his return to power. Republican U.S. Senate candidate David McCormick, who was seated in the front row at the rally, described the incident as an assassination attempt, stating it was terrifying.
