Former US President Donald Trump recounted to the New York Post that he believed he “should have been dead” after surviving an assassination attempt, describing the incident as “extremely surreal.” Speaking aboard his plane en route to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where he is expected to be confirmed as the party’s presidential candidate, Trump reflected on the harrowing experience with a bandage on his right ear.
“I’m not supposed to be here. I was supposed to be dead,” Trump told the Post. He explained how he narrowly escaped harm, crediting luck or divine intervention for his survival, particularly noting that if he hadn’t turned his head slightly to the right to read a chart during his rally speech, the outcome could have been fatal.
Acknowledging the swift response of the Secret Service agents who fatally shot the gunman, Trump commended their actions. “They took him out with one shot, right between the eyes,” he remarked, emphasizing their professionalism and describing the entire ordeal as surreal for everyone involved.
The iconic image of Trump defiantly raising his fist while being escorted away by Secret Service agents garnered global attention and widespread circulation on social media. Trump acknowledged the impact of the photo, remarking that typically such images are associated with individuals who have passed away, yet he survived to see it become iconic.
Reflecting on the incident’s aftermath, Trump shared that he scrapped his original convention speech, which was sharply critical of President Biden’s administration. Instead, he opted for a speech aimed at potentially uniting a deeply divided country, though he expressed skepticism about the possibility of achieving national unity given current divisions among the populace.
