Donald Trump’s reaction to the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, revealed his resolve in the face of danger. , a journalist who was just four feet from Trump when the shooting occurred, recounted in her book Butler: The Untold Story of the Near Assassination of Donald Trump and the Fight for America’s Heartland that moments after being grazed by a bullet, Trump stood up, wiped blood from his ear, and famously shouted, before leading the crowd in a chant of . Zito noted Trump’s composure, writing that he later told her, .

### Key Details from the Incident:
– Trump’s first words after the shooting included a demand to retrieve his shoes, which had fallen off when Secret Service agents tackled him. He then raised his fist defiantly, a moment captured in viral footage.
– Trump confided to Zito that he believed during the attack, a sentiment reinforced by the near-miss trajectory of the bullet.
– The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, exploited lapses in Secret Service planning. Law enforcement had failed to secure the American Glass Research building roof where Crooks positioned himself, despite clear sightlines to the stage.

### Historical Context:
While Trump’s 2024 assassination attempt was unprecedented in its proximity to success, . In 2016, a man attempted to grab a police officer’s gun at a Trump rally outside Las Vegas, though this earlier incident did not involve gunfire.

### Broader Implications:
Zito’s book frames the assassination attempt as a pivotal moment in Trump’s 2024 campaign, arguing that his resilience galvanized support in America’s heartland. The FBI’s investigation into the shooting, still ongoing as of December 2024, has highlighted systemic security shortcomings, including poor coordination between federal and local agencies.

Trump’s response—combining physical courage and political symbolism—cemented his image as a leader who thrives under pressure, a narrative central to his eventual electoral victory.