Trump Thanks Woman Who Made Chart For Him
Today we’ve got an incredible story out of Pennsylvania where former President Donald Trump made a dramatic return to the campaign trail just 17 days after surviving a shocking assassination attempt. At a rally in Harrisburg, Trump not only addressed the harrowing incident but also continued his fiery rhetoric against his political rivals, particularly Vice President Kamala Harris.
Let’s set the stage: Trump’s return to Pennsylvania comes after a June 13 rally in Butler where a gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired a shot that grazed Trump’s ear.
The bullet narrowly missed a fatal target, and Trump credits his survival to a last-second turn of his head to look at an immigration chart displayed on a screen. The shooter was quickly neutralized by Secret Service, but not before tragically killing a rally goer and critically injuring two others.
At his latest rally, Trump was back to his usual form, but with an added emotional moment. He brought on stage the campaign staffer who created the life-saving graphic, calling her a “computer genius” and joking that he’ll “sleep with that chart for the rest of my life.” The crowd erupted in cheers as Trump praised the staffer, crediting her with preventing a potential disaster.
Now, while many speculated that the near-death experience might soften Trump’s tone, the former president made it clear that he has no intention of being “nice” to his political opponents. He quipped that after the shooting, he considered being more conciliatory for “about eight hours” but quickly changed his mind after realizing that, in his view, Democrats were still out to get him.
Trump’s rally in Harrisburg wasn’t just about recounting the events of that fateful day. He also took the opportunity to launch new attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris, criticizing what he sees as an attempt to remake her image in the mold of the late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. He accused Harris of being a “puppet candidate” controlled by donors and mocked what he described as a “phony” and “fake” personality makeover.
The former president’s return to Pennsylvania was met with enthusiasm from his supporters, who packed the New Holland Arena to hear him speak. With every seat filled and additional attendees on the floor, the rally drew an estimated crowd of around 8,000 people. The energy was palpable as Trump doubled down on his signature style of combative, unfiltered rhetoric.
But while Trump’s supporters were cheering, behind the scenes, the aftermath of the assassination attempt is still unfolding. The FBI, Secret Service, and multiple congressional committees are investigating the security failures that allowed Crooks to get within 130 yards of Trump with a rifle.
The incident has already led to the resignation of Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, who faced intense scrutiny during a House hearing over the agency’s handling of the situation.