Five minutes of terror that plunged the United States into the darkest moments in its historyfrom the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy to that of his brother Bob up to the attack on Ronald Reagan. Donald Trump was shot in the ear while speaking at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvaniathe last before the convention in Milwaukee that will officially crown him candidate for the White House next week. “It is incredible that an act like this happens in the United States,” the tycoon who never lost consciousness said a few hours later. His opponent Joe Biden immediately condemned the attack, declaring that “there is no place for violence in the United States.”
About fifteen minutes had passed when the nightmare began. The former president was talking about the wave of migrants who have “invaded” the United States. The sound of gunshots is heard and the tycoon puts his hand to his right ear, immediately five men and women of the Secret Service rush at him and throw him to the ground, behind the lectern. Behind him the terrified crowd screams and tries to find shelter. More gunshots are heard, about eight. Then the former president gets up, still surrounded by his agents, raises his fist toward the crowd and shouts: “We fight, we fight, we fight.” “USA, USA,” the fans answer in chorus. A copious amount of blood flows from his right ear, the tycoon is shocked, his shirt is unbuttoned but he still has the strength to say “let me get my shoes.”
“I was shot in the upper right ear,” Trump said on social media. Secret Service agents rushed him into the SUV and then to a local hospital for evaluation. The former president “is doing well and thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action after this heinous act,” campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said about a half-hour later. The attacker, whose identity is currently unknown, was killed by police forces who, in the tense minutes after the attack, were heard shouting “shooter is down”. Unfortunately, one of the rally participants was killed in the violence, while another is in serious condition. According to Butler’s attorney, Richard Goldinger, the attacker was on the roof of an adjacent building, outside the event area. “A rifle was needed to carry out the attack because it was several hundred meters away.” Evidently the only way to avoid the metal detectors and the strict security checks to which all those who participate in political events and more in the United States are subjected.
“I was in the front row in the center with some friends, watching the president speak. He was talking about immigration. Then I heard some noises. I didn’t know what they were,” eyewitness Blake Marnell said. “I was hoping it was a bad joke. I turned to my left. At first I didn’t see anything. Then I turned back to the president and that’s when I saw him tackled to the ground by the Secret Service.”
Unanimous condemnation
The attack was unanimously condemned, starting with President Biden. “I am grateful to know that he is safe and well. I pray for him, his family and all those who were present at the demonstration, awaiting further information,” said the president who stressed that “there is no place for political violence in the United States” and said that in the next few hours he hopes to speak with Trump. Shock and solidarity were also expressed by former President Barack Obamaformer House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer. Former President George W. Bush called the attack on Trump “cowardly” and one of the tycoon’s sons, Donald Jr., said he “spoke to my father on the phone and he is in great spirits. He will never stop fighting to save America, no matter what the radical left throws at him.” But solidarity with the former president also came from abroad. Italian Prime Minister Giorgi Meloni said she was following “with apprehension the updates from Pennsylvania. My solidarity and best wishes for a speedy recovery to Trump, with the hope that the next months of the election campaign will see dialogue and responsibility prevail over hatred and violence.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was “shocked” by the attack and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who met the former president only a few days ago, sent him “thoughts and prayers in these dark hours.”