During a campaign rally on Saturday, Donald Trump was shot in the ear, causing his face to be streaked with blood and prompting an immediate response from his security detail. Despite the attack, the Republican presidential candidate quickly recovered, pumping his fist and mouthing “Fight! Fight! Fight!” to the crowd.
The Secret Service reported that the shooter was dead, with one rally attendee killed and two others injured. The incident is being treated as an assassination attempt. Law enforcement officials have tentatively identified a suspect but have not yet disclosed the individual’s identity or motive.
Trump, 78, had just begun his speech when the shooting occurred. He initially grabbed his right ear, looked at his hand, and then dropped to his knees behind the podium as Secret Service agents rushed to protect him. Moments later, he reappeared without his “Make America Great Again” hat, saying “wait, wait” before being escorted to a black SUV.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump later stated, “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. Much bleeding took place.” The shooting took place in Butler, Pennsylvania, approximately 30 miles north of Pittsburgh, less than four months before the November 5 election against Democratic President Joe Biden.
Both leading Republicans and Democrats swiftly condemned the violence. The Trump campaign confirmed that he was “doing well,” and Biden issued a statement urging national unity against such acts of violence. Republican Representative Ronny Jackson of Texas disclosed that his nephew was among the injured.
The incident has raised questions about the effectiveness of the Secret Service’s security measures. This is the first shooting involving a U.S. president or major party candidate since the 1981 attempt on President Ronald Reagan’s life. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro stated that Trump had left Butler under Secret Service protection, assisted by state police, heading to Bedminster, New Jersey.
Eyewitness Ron Moose, a Trump supporter, reported hearing about four shots and seeing the Secret Service quickly move to protect Trump. The BBC interviewed another eyewitness who claimed to have seen a man with a rifle on a nearby roof, trying to alert security.
The FBI has taken over the investigation, identifying the suspected shooter as a 20-year-old man from Pennsylvania, according to CNN. The shooting has also led to a pause in Biden’s campaign advertisements and communications.
Concerns about rising political violence have been highlighted by recent Reuters/Ipsos polling, with many Americans fearing potential violence surrounding the election. Some of Trump’s Republican allies believe the attack was politically motivated, pointing to inflammatory rhetoric as a contributing factor.
Trump, who served as president from 2017 to 2021, has secured the Republican nomination early in the campaign, despite facing numerous legal challenges. He contends that these prosecutions are politically motivated attempts to prevent his return to power.
Republican Senate candidate David McCormick, who was present at the rally, recounted hearing the gunfire and described the incident as a clear assassination attempt, expressing his terror during the event.
