‘Could not be more mad. I stand for this man’
Trump’s right ear was clipped by a slug fired by Thomas Matthew Crooks from a rooftop during a Pennsylvania campaign rally north of Pittsburgh over the weekend. Crooks’ gunfire killed one spectator before he was neutralized by law enforcement.
“I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania,” Trump wrote. “Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured. It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
Notable names from the world of entertainment were quick to praise the presumptive Republican nominee for his fiery spirit immediately following the ambush.
“This is what a Warrior looks like! This is MY guy,” country singer Jason Aldean wrote on Instagram alongside the now iconic photo of a bloodied Trump raising his fist in the air after the shooting. “@realdonaldtrump we are thinking about u and praying for you and your family. God has a bigger plan for you my friend and I think we all know what that is by now.”
Musician Kid Rock also spoke out on social media, posting a short selfie video warning, “You f*** with Trump, you f*** with me.” Rock also shared a link to a GoFundMe for victims of the shooting that has so far raised over $3.7 million.
Comedian Rob Schneider lashed out at the failures of the Secret Service and the viral photo of a female agent cowering when bullets began to fly.
“They can’t take down the truth. President Trump won’t give up,” actor Jon Voight said in a video posted to X. “He’ll keep rising and help us to rise with him.”
Elsewhere, Megyn Kelly blasted author Stephen King, who claimed the weapon used in Saturday’s attack was the same type of gun “the Republican Party — and Trump — want to protect.”
“You are a disgusting pig who has done as much as any man alive to cast Trump as an evil, non-human demon,” Kelly wrote on X. “SIT THIS ONE OUT HORROR MAN.”
Sports stars, including former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Roger Clemens, Jake Paul and Conor McGregor, also threw their support behind Trump.
“Could not be more mad. I stand for this man,” Clemens wrote on X. “This picture says it all. The angry American is here and y’all aren’t ready for it.”
Paul said Trump’s survival was evidence that God “wants” him to win the presidential election later this year.
“The speech I was going to give on Thursday was going to be a humdinger,” Trump said. “Had this not happened, this would’ve been one of the most incredible speeches” that would have taken aim at Democrat President Joe Biden, he added. “Honestly, it’s going to be a whole different speech now.”
Trump said he was saved from death when he turned his head at the last second to look at a screen showing immigration statistics he was referencing in his speech.
“I rarely look away from the crowd,” Trump said. “Had I not done that in that moment, well, we would not be talking today, would we?”