Nearly a year after the assassination attempt in Butler, Pa., President Donald Trump shared his thoughts about the "unforgettable" moment with Fox News, praising the quick action that might have saved his life.
"I didn't know exactly what was going on. I got a whack," Trump said during an exclusive interview on "My View with Lara Trump."
"People were screaming, and I got down quickly, fortunately, because I think they shot eight bullets."
Those bullets were fired by 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, who opened fire from a nearby rooftop during Trump's rally in Butler, Pa., on July 13, 2024. One bullet pierced Trump in the upper ear. Others hit bystanders, including 50-year-old firefighter Corey Comperatore, who was fatally wounded while shielding his wife and daughters in the crowd.
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Trump paid tribute to Comperatore during the interview with Fox News host Lara Trump.
"One got me, and one got another one, and one got another one," he said. "And one killed Corey, the firefighter. Great guy."
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Following the gunfire, Secret Service agents rushed to shield the president, whose face was streaked with blood. Crooks was fatally shot within seconds by a Secret Service sniper. Trump credited the sniper's swift action with preventing even more tragedy that day.
"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."
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Trump said the sniper, to whom he referred as "David," deserved recognition for stopping the gunman so quickly.
"Just about four seconds, and that's when it all stopped," he said. "He got him perfectly from a very long distance. So, we got a little bit lucky in that regard."
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No official motive has been released for the attack despite investigation by the FBI and Justice Department. This week, six Secret Service agents were suspended without pay in connection to the attack. A Senate report outlining what went wrong in Butler is expected soon.
Calls for greater transparency have grown in the months since the shooting, including from Trump himself. But now, the president says he's satisfied with the briefings he's received.
"They briefed me, and I'm satisfied with it," he said, praising Attorney General Pam Bondi as doing a "fantastic" job leading the Justice Department.
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Still, Trump acknowledged that serious security mistakes were made on the day itself.
"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."
The lack of coordination between local authorities and the Secret Service has been a key issue in the aftermath of the attack.
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Despite his own injuries and the chaos of the day, Trump said he continues to trust federal authorities.
"I have great confidence in these people. I know the people, and they're very talented, very capable, but they had a bad day," Trump said. "I think they'll admit that - they had a rough day."
