One year after assassination attempt on him at Butler, in Pennsylvania, US President Donald Trump opens up about the chaos, and rapid response that saved his life.
In a new episode of My View with Lara Trump airing this Saturday (July 12), Trump revisits the July 13, 2024, the near fatal attack, calling it an “unforgettable” moment.
“I didn’t know exactly what was going on. I got a whack,” Trump recalled in the interview. “People were screaming, and I got down quickly, fortunately, because I think they shot eight bullets.”
A firefighter’s heroism
Trump paid tribute to 50-year-old firefighter Corey Comperatore, who was fatally shot.
“One got me, and one got another one, and one got another one,” Trump said. “And one killed Corey, the firefighter. Great guy.”
The sniper who saved the day
Trump credited a Secret Service sniper—whom he referred to as “David”—for stopping the attacker, 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, within seconds.
“Our sniper, within less than five seconds, was able to get him from a long distance with one shot,” Trump said. “If he didn’t do that, you would have had an even worse situation. It was really bad.”
“Just about four seconds, and that’s when it all stopped,” he added. “He got him perfectly from a very long distance. So, we got a little bit lucky in that regard.”
Accountability and failures
While praising the Secret Service’s bravery, Trump acknowledged critical lapses in planning and coordination.
“They should have had somebody in the building — that was a mistake,” he said. “They should have had communications with the local police. They weren’t tied in, and they should have been tied in.”
This week, six Secret Service agents were suspended without pay, and a Senate report on the incident is expected soon.
Trump: “They had a bad day”
Despite the failures, Trump maintained trust in federal agencies, expressing confidence in those responsible for his protection.
“I have great confidence in these people. I know the people, and they’re very talented, very capable, but they had a bad day,” he said. “I think they’ll admit that — they had a rough day.”