Former President Donald narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on Saturday.
He gave his first in-depth interview on Sunday, revealing how the split-second decision to turn his head saved his life.
“I rarely look away from the crowd,” Trump told the New York Post. “Had I not done that in that moment, well, we would not be talking today, would we?”
Trump added during another point of the interview that he’s “not supposed to be here.”
“I’m supposed to be dead,” he said.
Trump explained that he had turned slightly to the right to read a chart on illegal immigrants, a decision that proved fateful.
“The most incredible thing was that I happened to not only turn but to turn at the exact right time and in just the right amount,” Trump added, attributing his survival to “luck or by God.”
He emphasized the razor-thin margin between life and death, stating, “If I only half-turn, it hits the back of the brain. The other way goes right through [my skull].”
In the aftermath of the shooting, Trump displayed remarkable composure as he managed to give his supporters a clenched fist salute and mouthed “fight” to the stunned audience.
This moment has since been described by many as “iconic.”
“A lot of people say it’s the most iconic photo they’ve ever seen,” Trump said of the surfaced images. “They’re right and I didn’t die. Usually you have to die to have an iconic picture.”
Trump then noted that he “wanted to keep speaking,” but couldn’t because he “just got shot.”
The former president praised the reaction of his supporters, noting their bravery in the face of danger.
“A lot of places, especially soccer games, you hear a single shot, everybody runs. Here there were many shots and they stayed. I love them. They are such great people,” Trump said.
While the incident has sparked controversy over Secret Service protocols, Trump commended his security team’s swift response.
He described the surreal experience of being protected, even mentioning a bruise on his arm from an agent keeping him on the floor.
The assassination attempt has prompted Trump to reconsider his approach to public speaking, per the Washington Examiner.
His planned speech for the upcoming Republican National Convention, originally described as a “humdinger” aimed at criticizing President Joe Biden’s policies, will now take a different tone.
“Honestly, it’s going to be a whole different speech now,” Trump told the outlet.
“I think it would be very bad if I got up and started going wild about how horrible everybody is, and how corrupt and crooked, even if it’s true.”
Instead, he aims to deliver a more unifying message.
The shooting has left its mark on both the political landscape and Trump personally. As he processes the events, Trump acknowledges the gravity of the situation.
“The reality is just setting in,” he told the Post, reflecting on the chaotic aftermath and the death of the gunman.
All eyes will be on Trump’s upcoming RNC speech, where he hopes to seize the opportunity to bring the country together in the wake of this near-tragedy.
The harrowing incident occurred in Butler, Pennsylvania, where 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire on Trump with an AR-style rifle from a rooftop 130 yards away.
