Trump holds rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the location of an attempted assassination.

 Trump holds rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the location of an attempted assassination.

 

Trump visits Butler, Pennsylvania, a month ahead of the November 5 election, aiming to strengthen support in a crucial state.

Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, returned to Butler, where he survived an assassination attempt in July. Supporters gathered at the rally on Saturday, as Trump remains in a tight race against Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris.

“Exactly 12 weeks ago this evening, on this very ground, a cold-blooded assassin aimed to silence me and the greatest movement—MAGA—in our country’s history,” Trump told the crowd, referencing his Make America Great Again campaign. He emphasized that he came back to show his supporters they are “stronger, prouder, united, more determined, and nearer to victory than ever before.”

During the event, Trump honored Corey Comperatore, a rally attendee who was fatally shot during the July 13 attack, with Comperatore's family in attendance alongside other victims and notable supporters, including his running mate Senator JD Vance and billionaire Elon Musk.

The July attack saw Trump narrowly escape a bullet fired by an assailant on a nearby roof, leading to a moment of chaos where he briefly dropped to the ground before rising and rallying his supporters with chants of “fight, fight, fight.”

The incident briefly boosted Trump’s campaign, portraying him as resilient. However, the political landscape shifted significantly with President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race in July, paving the way for Harris’s candidacy.

Lara Trump, co-chair of the Republican National Committee and Trump’s daughter-in-law, framed her father-in-law’s survival as divine intervention. “If you had any question whether God exists and performs miracles, we got our answer here July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania,” she said.

The assassination attempt raised concerns about political violence in the U.S., with Trump momentarily pledging a more unifying approach before reverting to his characteristic rhetoric. In September, he faced another close call while golfing in Florida, further intensifying the political climate.

Trump has attributed the violence to Democrats' claims that he poses a threat to democracy. His rhetoric following the 2020 election, which fueled the Capitol riot, has led experts to warn that he may repeat similar tactics if he loses again.

At the rally, Vance criticized Democrats, particularly Harris, for labeling Trump a threat to democratic norms, stating, “Donald Trump took a bullet for Democracy.”

Trump’s son, Eric, linked the assassination attempts to the various legal challenges and impeachment efforts his father faced during and after his presidency, claiming a coordinated effort to undermine Trump.

The rally occurred amid ongoing scrutiny of the Secret Service’s security lapses that allowed the assailant, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, to target Trump. Crooks was killed at the scene after firing shots. Following the attack, Secret Service head Kimberly Cheatle resigned, prompting internal investigations and Congressional inquiries.

Anthony Guglielmi, the agency’s chief spokesman, acknowledged the strain on their operations, stating, “We cannot risk another mission failure.”