A Year After Trump’s Assassination Attempt That Shapes His Focus, Legacy/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ One year after surviving an assassination attempt, President Donald Trump’s friends and allies say he remains the same combative figure but shows deeper gratitude and a heightened sense of purpose. He frequently references divine intervention and displays reminders of that harrowing day. The near-miss has reshaped both his personal outlook and public persona.
Trump’s Near-Assassination Leaves Lasting Personal Impact: Quick Looks
- Lingering Memories: Trump often references the day he was shot.
- Faith and Fate: Allies say Trump believes God spared him for a mission.
- Memorials Everywhere: Paintings and sculptures of the event adorn the White House.
- A Changed Man: Friends see Trump more attentive and grateful.
- Still Trump: Allies say core personality remains combative and driven.
- Political Consequences: Attempt shifted the 2024 race dramatically.
- Physical Reminders: Trump occasionally feels pain in his wounded ear.
- Public Symbolism: Trump portrays the moment as proof of resilience and destiny.
A Year After Trump’s Assassination Attempt That Shapes His Focus, Legacy
Deep Look
One year has passed since the gunshots that nearly changed the trajectory of American history, and while President Donald Trump remains his fiery, combative self, those closest to him say the near-assassination has left indelible marks on his psyche and sense of purpose.
On July 13, 2024, at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, a gunman opened fire, grazing Trump’s ear and fatally striking a supporter in the crowd. The attack sent shockwaves through the 2024 presidential race, igniting a frenzied ten-day stretch that culminated in Trump arriving at the Republican National Convention with a bandaged ear and President Joe Biden stepping aside from the race, elevating Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor.
As the first anniversary approaches, Trump’s public appearances often contain moments of reflection, both solemn and humorous. Earlier this month, standing behind thick bulletproof glass at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, Trump paused mid-speech after hearing what sounded like fireworks.
“Did I hear what I think I heard?” he said, eliciting nervous laughter. “Don’t worry, it’s only fireworks. I hope. Famous last words.”
He added, “You always have to think positive. I didn’t like that sound, either.”
A Lingering Shadow
Despite efforts to maintain his trademark bravado, friends and allies say the events of that day remain firmly in Trump’s mind. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close ally who joined Trump in New Jersey the night of the shooting after he was released from a Pennsylvania hospital, said the former president has changed, even if subtly.
“He’s still a rough and tumble guy. He hasn’t become a Zen Buddhist,” Graham said. “But he’s more appreciative. He’s more attentive to his friends.”
Graham, who recently received a birthday message from Trump—a gesture he says would have been less likely before the attack—called the incident a miracle.
“It’s just a miracle he’s not dead. He definitely was a man who believed he had a second lease on life.”
Embracing the Memory
Rather than shying away from reminders of the assassination attempt, Trump has surrounded himself with them. In the White House and at his golf properties, paintings and sculptures commemorate the moment when, bloodied but defiant, he stood up, raised his fist, and shouted “Fight, fight, fight!”
A dramatic painting of that scene now hangs prominently on the State Floor near the stairway to the presidential residence. Earlier this year, Trump installed a bronze sculpture of the same moment on a table beside the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.
Though he pledged during the Republican National Convention to discuss the incident only once, Trump frequently revisits the story on the campaign trail. He often highlights how, at the critical moment, he turned his head to display his “all-time favorite chart in history” depicting southern border crossings—a move he credits with saving his life.
Physical and Emotional Scars
While Trump insists he’s largely unfazed physically, he’s admitted lingering effects from the injury.
“I get that throbbing feeling every once in a while,” he told reporters in the White House briefing room last month, pointing to his ear. “But you know what, that’s OK. This is a dangerous business. What I do is a dangerous business.”
Despite the trauma, Trump plans to mark the first anniversary not with solemn remembrance but by attending the FIFA Club World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey, signaling his preference for forward momentum over dwelling on past violence.
Faith and a Sense of Destiny
Perhaps the most profound change, allies say, lies in Trump’s spiritual outlook. Susie Wiles, Trump’s chief of staff who was with him during the Butler rally, said the president believes his life was spared for a higher purpose.
“I think he believes that he was saved. And he would never—even if he thought it before—I don’t think he would have admitted it. And he will now,” Wiles said on the podcast “Pod Force One.”
She described a seemingly random moment that may have saved Trump’s life: eight minutes into his speech in Butler, he requested a specific chart from his visuals team. That chart was displayed on the opposite side of the stage from its usual place, prompting Trump to turn his head and slightly elevate it, moving just enough to avoid a direct hit.
“That just doesn’t happen because it happened,” Wiles said. “It happened because, I believe, God wanted him to live.”
She noted that expressions like “God bless America” now carry deeper meaning for Trump, saying, “It’s more profound with him now, and it’s more personal.”
Political and Personal Transformation
Some allies believe the attack not only transformed Trump’s outlook but reshaped his public image during the campaign.
“For the American public to see a person who was such a fighter as he was that day, I think, as awful and tragic as it might have been, it turned out to be something that showed people his character,” Wiles said.
Roger Stone, a longtime confidant and informal adviser, said he has observed a subtle shift in Trump’s demeanor.
“I’ve found him to be more serene and more determined after the attempt on his life,” Stone said. “He told me directly that he believed he was spared by God for the purpose of restoring the nation to greatness.”
A Broader Belief in Divine Purpose
Ralph Reed, chairman of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, echoed those sentiments, suggesting Trump’s supporters also see divine purpose in his survival.
“Imagine if you were who he was and if you don’t turn your head at that instant. He knew he was lucky to be alive,” Reed said. “It’s hard not to feel on some level that the hand of providence protected him for some greater purpose.”
Reed believes this sense of destiny has fueled Trump’s confidence in his political future, even amid the chaos of modern American politics.
“There are people that I’ve talked to who said they were confident that he would win for that reason. That there must have been a reason.”
Balancing Faith and Politics
While Trump remains determined to project strength, his allies say moments of vulnerability surface more often than before. Trump himself acknowledged feeling an obligation to deliver for the country, telling Fox News on Friday:
“You know, I have an obligation to do a good job, I feel, because I was really saved. I owe a lot. And I think—I hope—the reason I was saved was to save our country.”
For Trump, the near-miss in Butler has become both a symbol of resilience and a narrative of divine providence, deeply entwining his personal faith with his political mission.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.