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Former President Donald Trump took the stage at the Republican National Convention Thursday evening and delivered a highly anticipated speech that included recounting the assassination attempt against him last weekend in Butler, Pa.
But, apparently, that will be the last time he publicly recounts the attack because he said recalling it is “too painful.”
“As you already know, the assassin’s bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking my life. So many people have asked me what happened, tell us what happened, please. And therefore I will tell you exactly what happened and you will never hear it from me a second time, because it is actually too painful to tell,” Trump said.
“It was a warm, beautiful day in the early evening in Butler Township in the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Music was loudly playing and the campaign was doing really well. I went to the stage, and the crowd was cheering wildly. Everybody was happy. I began speaking very strongly, powerfully, and happily,” he added.
Trump then described how he turned his head at the last second, which likely saved his life as a bullet whizzed by, grazing his right ear.
“In order to see the chart, I started to, like this, turn to my right and was ready to begin a little bit further turn, which I am very lucky I didn’t do. When I heard a loud, whizzing sound and felt something hit me really, really hard,” Trump said. “On my right ear. I said to myself, wow, what was that? It can only be a bullet.”
“I immediately knew it was very serious that we were under attack and in one movement proceeded to drop to the ground. Bullets were continuing to fly as very brave Secret Service agents rushed to the stage and they really did, they rushed to the stage. These are great people. At great risk, I will tell you. And pounced on top of me, so that I would be protected,” he continued.
“There was blood pouring everywhere, and yet, in a certain way, I felt very safe because I had God on my side. I felt that. The amazing thing is that prior to the shot, if I had not moved my head at that very last instant, the assassin’s bullet would have perfectly hit its mark.”
Trump added: “I am not supposed to be here tonight. I’m not supposed to be here.”
WATCH:
Trump recounts the assassination attempt
“There was blood pouring everywhere and yet in a certain way I felt very safe because I had God on my side”
Most powerful acceptance speech of all time pic.twitter.com/Rowarp0TwR
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) July 19, 2024
The former president also acknowledged that one of his supporters was killed while two more were seriously wounded.
Speaking to the Washington Examiner earlier, Trump said his speech would not be the same one he planned to give. Instead, he said it would be a speech calling for national unity.
“The speech I was going to give on Thursday was going to be a humdinger,” he said. “Had this not happened, this would’ve been one of the most incredible speeches,” aimed mostly at the policies of President Joe Biden. “Honestly, it’s going to be a whole different speech now.”
CNN’s Abby Phillips and pollster Frank Luntz spoke about the speech and the massive enthusiasm at the RNC this week.
“Frank, it‘s been a couple of days after this really horrific event for not just Donald Trump, but the country. Are you seeing an impact of the assassination attempt and also now three going, on four straight days of a convention in which Republicans are really, really unified. I‘ve never seen a convention like this,” Phillips asked.
“African Americans, working women, union members. There are people on stage that I‘m not used to. I‘ve been coming to conventions since 1988. I‘ve never seen this before. Republicans literally dancing…I‘m also looking at the challenges on the Democratic side. Yes. Biden run or not, is the vice president ready to step up?” Luntz said.
