Former U.S. President Donald Trump recounted for the first and only time the assassination attempt he endured last Saturday during a rally in Pennsylvania.
At the closing of the Republican National Convention, after being declared the Republican Party's presidential candidate, Trump began his speech by thanking the American people for their love and support following the attack. He recalled that "the assassin's bullet was a quarter-inch away from ending my life."
"Many people have asked me what happened... so I will tell you what happened, and you won't hear it from me again, because it is actually too painful to recount," he said.
"Behind me and to the right, there was a big screen displaying a graphic of border crossings under my leadership. The numbers were absolutely astonishing. To see the chart better, I started to turn, like this, to my right, and I was about to make another turn—a turn I was lucky not to have made—when I heard a loud whistle and felt something hit me, very, very hard, in my right ear," he recounted.
"I said to myself, 'Wow, what was that? It can only be a bullet,' and I moved my right hand to my ear, lowered it, and my hand was covered in blood. There was absolutely blood everywhere. I immediately knew it was very serious, that we were under attack, and in one swift motion, I proceeded to throw myself to the ground," he added.
The former president explained why he decided to raise his fist when security agents lifted him from the ground, an image that signifies both anger and determination to his supporters and the world.
"When I got up, surrounded by the Secret Service, the crowd was confused because they thought I was dead, and there was great, great sadness. I could see it on their faces. I wanted to let them know I was okay. So, I raised my right arm, looked at the thousands and thousands of people waiting breathlessly, and started shouting 'fight, fight, fight,'" he said.
Trump delivered a speech lasting over 90 minutes, in which he paid tribute to the firefighter who died during the attack.
Details of Trump's Assassination Attempt
To provide more insights into this shocking event, we have compiled some frequently asked questions and their answers.
How close was the bullet to hitting Donald Trump?
The bullet was a quarter-inch away from hitting Donald Trump, according to his account.
Why did Trump raise his fist after the assassination attempt?
Trump raised his fist to signal to the crowd that he was okay and to instill a sense of determination and resilience.
Who was honored during Trump's speech?
Trump paid tribute to a firefighter who died during the attack.