‘I’m Supposed to Be Dead,’ Trump Tells NYP After Assassination Attempt
Former U.S. President Donald Trump revealed in an interview with the New York Post that he survived an assassination attempt, describing the experience as “very surreal.”
Speaking aboard his plane en route to Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention, where he is set to be confirmed as the party’s presidential candidate, Trump recounted the harrowing incident.
“I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,” Trump told the Post. The 78-year-old former president was seen with a white bandage covering his right ear, a stark reminder of the attempt on his life at a campaign rally on Saturday.
The attack left Trump with a bloodied face, while a bystander was killed and two others were wounded. Trump recounted the moment, attributing his survival to a small but crucial movement.
“I would have been dead had I not tilted my head slightly to the right to read a chart on illegal immigrants while addressing the rally,” he said. “By luck or by God, many people are saying it’s by God I’m still here.”
He praised the Secret Service agents for their swift and decisive action in neutralizing the shooter. “They took him out with one shot right between the eyes,” Trump said. “They did a fantastic job. It’s surreal for all of us.”
The dramatic image of Trump raising a defiant fist as Secret Service agents rushed him away has made headlines worldwide and gone viral on social media.
“A lot of people say it’s the most iconic photo they’ve ever seen,” Trump noted. “They’re right and I didn’t die. Usually you have to die to have an iconic picture.”
In light of the assassination attempt, Trump said he is rewriting the speech he had prepared for the Republican convention.
“I had prepared an extremely tough speech about Biden’s horrible administration. But I threw it away for one I hope will unite our country,” he explained. However, he acknowledged the challenges of bridging the nation’s deep divisions. “But I don’t know if that’s possible. People are very divided.”
The former president’s brush with death has not deterred his resolve as he heads to Milwaukee, determined to address the convention and continue his campaign.
