Donald Trump hopes the assassination attempt on his life can "bring the country together"
The 76-year-old US presidential candidate was shot by Thomas Matthew Crooks - who was subsequently killed by Secret Service agents - at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday (13.07.24) and while he had planned to attack his rival, President Joe Biden, when he addressed the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week, he's now going to deliver a "whole different speech".
23 July 2024
He told the Washington Examiner newspaper: "The speech I was going to give on Thursday was going to be a humdinger.
"Had this not happened, this would've been one of the most incredible speeches. Honestly, it's going to be a whole different speech now.
"It is a chance to bring the country together. I was given that chance...
"This is a chance to bring the whole country, even the whole world, together. The speech will be a lot different, a lot different than it would've been two days ago."
The former 'Apprentice' star explained he had changed from planning to attack Biden's policies and excite his voter base to stressing his belief the attack has completely changed the course of the election campaign.
Trump believed he was saved from death because he turned away from the crowd to look at a screen showing data he was using in his speech at the rally.
He said: "That reality is just setting in.
"I rarely look away from the crowd. Had I not done that in that moment, well, we would not be talking today, would we?"
After being shot, the Republican candidate raised his hand while being led off stage because he wanted to let people know he was OK.
He added: "And that America goes on, we go forward, that we are strong.
"The energy coming from the people there in that moment, they just stood there; it's hard to describe what that felt like, but I knew the world was looking. I knew that history would judge this, and I knew I had to let them know we are OK."
The shocking incident saw former fire chief Corey Comperatore shot dead and two other supporters, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, injured. They are currently in a stable condition in hospital.
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