The gunshots that rang out in July last year changed everything. The world held its breath — and Donald Trump miraculously survived an assassination attempt.
Now, he’s breaking his silence. In an emotional interview with daughter-in-law Lara Trump, the president reveals one moment he’ll never forget.
Grazed Trump’s ear
It was a moment that stunned America — and nearly changed the course of history.
On July 13, 2024, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks climbed to a rooftop near a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, taking aim at Donald Trump as he addressed a crowd of supporters.
In a matter of seconds, Crooks opened fire.
One bullet grazed Trump’s ear. Another claimed the life of a bystander — Corey Comperatore, a retired fire chief from Buffalo Township who had brought his family to the rally. Two more people were seriously injured before Crooks was taken down by a Secret Service sniper.
Now, as the one-year anniversary of the attempt nears, Trump is opening up about what happened in a deeply personal interview with his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, set to air on Fox News.
“I got whacked”
“Well, it was unforgettable. I didn’t know exactly what was going on. I got whacked. There’s no question about that,” Trump recalled.
“Fortunately, I got down quickly. People were screaming, and I got down quickly, fortunately, because I think they shot eight bullets.”
”One got me, and one got another one, and one got another one,” he said. ”And one killed Corey, the firefighter. Great guy.”
While Trump praised the courage of the agents who ultimately saved his life, he didn’t shy away from criticizing the security failures that allowed the gunman to get into position.
“They had a bad day”
“I have great confidence in these people. I know the people. And they’re very talented, very capable,” he said. “But they had a bad day. And I think they’ll admit that. They had a rough day.”
“They should have had somebody in the building. They should have had communications with the local police, they weren’t tied in, and they should have been tied in. So there were mistakes made.”
One of those agents, Myosoty Perez, was reportedly tasked with securing the surrounding area that day.
Her attorney, Larry Berger, confirmed she had been suspended following the incident and was cooperating with investigators.
“She is now deciding what the next steps will be in this situation,” Berger added, noting that she was not responsible for overall security.
Six agents were ultimately suspended. The fallout was especially painful for the family of Corey Comperatore, whose widow later told reporters, “Our blood is all over their hands.”
“We got a little bit lucky”
Trump did, however, express deep gratitude to the sniper who stopped the gunman before more lives were lost. Referring to him as “David,” the 47th POTUS said he deserved major recognition for his swift and decisive action.
“He went about his business. Less than just about four seconds, and that’s when it all stopped and he got him perfectly from a very long distance,” Trump said. “So we got a little bit lucky in that regard.”
Just weeks after the shooting, Trump would survive a second assassination attempt — this time at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida. A man was reportedly shot by Secret Service agents after pointing a gun through the course’s perimeter.