Trump returns to Butler, Pennsylvania, for defiant rally after assassination attempt

Former President Donald Trump returned to Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, addressing a rally at the site where an assassination attempt nearly took his life three months earlier. Speaking behind bulletproof glass to tens of thousands of supporters, Trump vowed to continue his campaign, despite heightened security measures and lingering fears of further violence.

“Exactly 12 weeks ago this evening, on this very ground, a cold-blooded assassin aimed to silence me,” Trump told the crowd. Referring to the gunman as a “vicious monster,” he declared, “I will never quit… never bend… never break,” as the audience erupted in chants of “Fight, fight, fight.”

The July 13 shooting at a previous rally in Butler left Trump grazed by a bullet and resulted in the death of one supporter, firefighter Corey Comperatore. Two others were also injured. Since then, security for Trump’s events has been significantly ramped up, with snipers positioned on nearby buildings and a surveillance drone monitoring the area.

Heather Hughes, 43, who traveled from New Castle to attend the rally, expressed concern for Trump’s safety. “Do I think he’s safe? No, I think there’s going to be another attempt. But I think he’s going to make it through,” she said.

Trump’s speech came just one month before the November 5 presidential election. The Republican candidate used the event to suggest his political opponents were behind the assassination attempt, saying, “Who knows, maybe even tried to kill me.”

The rally took place amidst a bitter and tense political atmosphere, with the election outcome still uncertain. Trump’s opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, who replaced President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee after his withdrawal, has been gaining ground in several battleground states, including Pennsylvania.

At the rally, Trump’s rhetoric was familiar to his supporters, denouncing illegal immigration, emphasizing the importance of fossil fuels, and repeating his pledge to “keep men out of women’s sports.” He also criticized his opponents, calling them the “enemy within” and blaming them for his multiple indictments.

Billionaire Elon Musk made an appearance alongside Trump, urging voters to register and stressing the importance of battleground states like Pennsylvania in the upcoming election. Musk described Trump’s resilience following the assassination attempt as a testament to his character. “We had one president who couldn’t climb a flight of stairs and another who was fist-pumping after getting shot,” Musk said.

The heightened security at the event underscored the ongoing concerns about potential violence surrounding Trump’s campaign. Secret Service agents were widely visible, a sharp contrast from the July rally, where the shooter managed to fire eight shots before being killed by authorities. Despite the intense security, the mood among Trump’s supporters was defiant, with many sporting T-shirts featuring images of Trump, bloodied but triumphant, after the July shooting.

While Trump continues to question the legitimacy of the upcoming election, he has stopped short of committing to accepting its results. President Biden, speaking on Friday, said he could not guarantee the election would be peaceful.