Trump’s Top Aides Feared the Worst During the Butler Assassination Attempt — What We Know
Last year at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, former President Donald Trump survived an attempted assassination when a gunman fired shots toward the stage where he was speaking. Law enforcement and eyewitness accounts confirm the attack took place on July 13, 2024, and was treated as a serious security incident. �
The shooter, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired multiple rounds from an elevated position near the rally site. One of the bullets grazed Trump’s right ear, causing bleeding, and several spectators were struck — one was killed and others critically injured. The gunman was shot and killed by a U.S. Secret Service counter-sniper team. �
In a newly released book about the incident, aides describe the chaotic aftermath, saying that Trump had been bleeding so much in the hospital that some staff initially thought he might have been shot multiple times before it became clear the wound was from a single grazing hit. Trump himself joked later that aides thought he’d been hit “four or five” times — a remark reflecting the panic and confusion in the moments after the attack. �
Official medical and law enforcement reports do not support the claim that Trump was struck five times, and independent coverage confirms that only one round made contact with him, while other injuries were sustained by bystanders. �
The rally shooting remains one of the most serious acts of political violence in recent U.S. history. Investigators, security analysts, and national leaders have since emphasized the broader issues of political polarization and public safety. �
This summary reflects documented reporting and official accounts, not social media speculation or unverified claims. If you’d like, I can turn this into a headline version or a more detailed timeline of the attack.
