In a shocking incident, former President and current Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was shot in the ear during a campaign rally on Saturday. The attack, which left Trump’s face streaked with blood, occurred in Butler, Pennsylvania, approximately 30 miles north of Pittsburgh.
Trump’s security agents quickly surrounded him, but he emerged shortly after, pumping his fist in the air and mouthing the words “Fight! Fight! Fight!” according to witnesses. The Secret Service confirmed that the shooter was dead, one rally attendee was killed, and two other spectators were injured. The incident is being investigated as an assassination attempt.
“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform following the attack. “Much bleeding took place.”
The shooting comes less than four months before the November 5 election, where Trump faces a rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden. Polls, including those by Reuters/Ipsos, show a tight contest between the two candidates.
Leading figures from both parties swiftly condemned the violence. Biden issued a statement saying, “There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.” Trump’s campaign assured supporters that he was “doing well.”
Republican U.S. Representative Ronny Jackson of Texas revealed that his nephew was among the injured at the rally. The attack has raised immediate concerns about security lapses by the Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting former presidents, including Trump.
The last time a U.S. president or major party candidate was shot was during the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro confirmed that Trump had left the Butler area under Secret Service protection, assisted by Pennsylvania state police. Republican U.S. Representative Daniel Meuser told CNN that Trump was headed to his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
Witness Accounts
Ron Moose, a rally attendee, recounted hearing about four shots. “I saw the crowd go down and then Trump ducked also real quick,” Moose said. “The Secret Service all jumped and protected him as soon as they could. We are talking within a second they were all protecting him.”
The BBC interviewed an eyewitness who saw a man with a rifle crawling up a roof near the event. The man and others tried to alert security by pointing at the shooter. According to the Secret Service, the shots appeared to come from outside the secured area. The FBI has taken over the investigation and has identified the shooter as a 20-year-old man from Pennsylvania.
Political Reactions
As Trump prepares to receive the Republican nomination at the National Convention in Milwaukee on Monday, political leaders from both parties have decried the violence. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson stated, “This horrific act of political violence at a peaceful campaign rally has no place in this country and should be unanimously and forcefully condemned.”
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed relief that Trump was safe, emphasizing that “political violence has no place in our country.”
The Biden campaign has paused its television ads and halted all outbound communication in response to the incident. Recent polling by Reuters/Ipsos indicates that two out of three Americans fear political violence could follow the election.
Some of Trump’s Republican allies believe the attack was politically motivated. U.S. Representative Steve Scalise, who survived a politically motivated shooting in 2017, blamed incendiary rhetoric from Democrat leaders for fueling hysteria against Trump.
Trump, who served as president from 2017 to 2021, has solidified his support within the Republican Party despite facing multiple legal challenges. He claims, without evidence, that these prosecutions are orchestrated by Biden to prevent his return to power.
Republican U.S. Senate candidate David McCormick, who was seated in the front row at the rally, described the terrifying experience. “Within a minute or two, I heard the shots… It was clear it was gunfire,” McCormick said. “It felt like it was an assassination attempt.”
The incident has intensified the spotlight on political violence and security concerns as the nation heads into a highly contentious election season.