Donald Trump was shot in the ear during a campaign rally on Saturday due to a significant security lapse. This incident is expected to have a profound impact on the presidential race and heighten concerns about potential political violence.
In the chaotic moments following the shooting, Trump was quickly shielded by his security team. Emerging soon after, with blood streaking his face, he raised his fist and mouthed “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
The FBI identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the suspect in what they described as an attempted assassination. The Secret Service reported that the shooter was dead, with one rally attendee killed and two others injured. The motive remains unclear.
Trump, 78, had just begun his speech when shots were fired. He grasped his ear, observed the blood, and fell to his knees before Secret Service agents covered him. He resurfaced about a minute later, fist raised, and was then whisked away in an SUV.
“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear,” Trump later stated on Truth Social. His campaign assured that he was “doing well.”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro confirmed Trump left the area under Secret Service protection.
The shooting occurred less than four months before the November 5 election, where Trump faces a rematch against Democratic President Joe Biden. Polls show a tight race between the two candidates.
‘NO PLACE’ FOR SUCH VIOLENCE
Both Republicans and Democrats condemned the violence. Biden emphasized unity in his statement, while Republican Representative Ronny Jackson of Texas reported his nephew was wounded at the rally.
The shooting has prompted scrutiny over Secret Service security protocols. It is the first such attack on a U.S. president or major candidate since the 1981 attempt on Ronald Reagan.
Ron Moose, a rally attendee, recounted hearing four shots and seeing the crowd and Trump duck. A BBC interview with an eyewitness described a man with a rifle on a nearby roof, which was outside the Secret Service’s secured area. The FBI is leading the investigation.
Hours after the incident, the House Oversight Committee summoned U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle for a hearing on July 22.
REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS DECRY VIOLENCE
Trump is set to receive the Republican nomination at the National Convention in Milwaukee. Leading Republicans and Democrats, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, condemned the violence and expressed relief that Trump was safe.
Biden’s campaign paused its activities in response. Recent Reuters/Ipsos polls indicate a growing fear of political violence among Americans.
Some Republicans, like Steve Scalise, suggested political motivations behind the attack, criticizing inflammatory rhetoric from the left. Trump continues to rally his party despite facing multiple legal challenges, including three halted prosecutions related to his attempts to overturn his 2020 defeat.
Pennsylvania Republican David McCormick, who was present at the rally, described the shooting as terrifying, believing it was an assassination attempt.