President Donald Trump on Friday reflected on the failed assassination attempt that nearly took his life one year ago, once again crediting divine intervention for his survival.
The shooting took place on July 13, 2024, during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A bullet grazed Trump’s ear, and tragically, one attendee—50-year-old Corey Comperatore—was killed. Two others, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, were injured. The gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was fatally shot by law enforcement after firing from an unsecured rooftop.
Speaking on The Will Cain Show, Trump recalled the chaotic moments during the attack.
“I had this massive crowd, then suddenly you hear and feel something that’s totally out of place,” he said. “I got down fast. People were shouting, ‘Get down!’ It was madness.”
He admitted that, even now, the pain lingers.
“I still feel it—this throbbing sensation in my ear now and then,” Trump said. “Shooters tell me it’s almost impossible that it missed. I mean, technically, it hit me. But it missed.”
Reflecting on the moment, Trump said he believed his survival carried a purpose.
“It’s hard to believe a year has gone by,” he said. “And here we are. Since then, so much has changed—including the presidency. I truly believe I was saved by someone very special.” At that point, the president reportedly looked skyward, attributing his survival to God.
Trump went further, suggesting that his life was spared for a greater mission: “to save our country.” He’s voiced similar beliefs before—saying last September that he believes God protected him so he could help “straighten out” a nation he described as “sick” and “broken.”
Though he has long portrayed himself as a man of faith, some, including his niece Mary Trump, have accused him of using religion as a political strategy to retain evangelical support. She recently claimed his references to God are more calculated than sincere.
In a controversial moment weeks after the shooting, Trump appeared to joke about it during a private fundraiser. According to a recording obtained by The Guardian, he recounted giving Comperatore’s widow a large financial settlement.
“I handed her the check — millions — and she said, ‘This is so nice, and I appreciate it, but I’d much rather have my husband,’” Trump reportedly said. Then he added, “Now, I know some of the women in this room wouldn’t say the same. I know at least four couples who would’ve been thrilled, actually.”
The remarks drew criticism at the time, but Trump’s supporters saw them as part of his unfiltered, blunt persona.
As the one-year mark of the attempted assassination passes, Trump says he feels an even stronger sense of obligation. “I was spared for a reason,” he said. “And I’m going to do everything in my power to honor that.”
Trump on Butler: People say that was almost impossible it was a miss. It was a hit but it was a miss. I do get that throbbing feeling like every once in a while pic.twitter.com/n8xLUdyS68
— Acyn (@Acyn) July 11, 2025