Former President Donald Trump began his speech accepting the Republican Party’s presidential nomination by describing in great detail the fact that he was the target of an assassination attempt – and said he may never tell the story again.
Trump’s comments in Milwaukee on Thursday were his first major speech since he was shot at a campaign rally on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania. The shooting, which injured Trump and two others and killed one man, loomed large over the Republican National Convention this week.
Here’s what Trump, wearing a bandage on his bruised right ear, told convention attendees:
“Let me begin this evening by expressing my gratitude to the American people for their outpouring of love and support following the assassination attempt at my rally on Saturday. As you already know, the assassin’s bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking my life .
“So many people have asked me what happened… and so I’m going to tell you what happened, and you’ll never hear it from me a second time, because it’s actually too painful to tell.
“It was a warm, beautiful day in the early evening in Butler Township, in the great commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The music was playing loud and the campaign was going great. I went up on stage and the crowd was applauding wildly. Everyone was happy, I started talking very strongly, powerfully and happily because I was discussing the excellent work that my administration has done on immigration at the southern border.
“Behind me and to the right was a large screen that displayed a graph of the border crossings under my leadership. The numbers were absolutely incredible. To see the graph, I began to turn, like this, to my right, and I was ready to go. One more turn, which I was lucky not to have done, when I heard a loud buzzing noise and felt something hit me, very, very hard, in my right ear.
“I said to myself, ‘Wow, what was that? It had to be a bullet,’ and I brought my right hand up to my ear and I put it down 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 movement I began to fall to the ground.
“The bullets continued to fly as very brave Secret Service agents ran onto the stage – and they actually did, they ran onto the stage. And at great risk, I’ll tell you. And they threw themselves at me to protect me. There was blood flowing everywhere, and yet, in a way I felt very safe, because I had God by my side and I felt that.
“The incredible thing is that before the shot, if I hadn’t moved my head at the last moment, the assassin’s bullet would have hit its target perfectly and I wouldn’t be with you tonight.
“The most incredible aspect of what happened that terrible night under the setting sun was seen later. In almost every case, and even when a single bullet is fired – just a single bullet, and we’ve had a lot of bullets being fired – crowds run for the exits or stampede, but it’s not very uncommon.
“This huge crowd of tens of thousands of people stood still and did not move an inch. In fact, many of them bravely but automatically got up looking for where the shooter was – they knew immediately it was a shooter – and then started pointing at him…
“Nobody ran, and by not running, many lives were saved. But that wasn’t why they didn’t move. The reason is that they knew I was in serious trouble, they saw me fall, they saw the blood, and in fact, the Most did, they thought I was dead…
“This beautiful crowd didn’t want to leave me, and you could see that love on their faces… Bullets were flying over us, but I felt serene – but now the Secret Service agents were springing into action. danger… And then everything stopped. Our Secret Service sniper, from a much greater distance and with only one bullet used, took the killer’s life.
“I shouldn’t be here tonight. I shouldn’t be here. …
“I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of Almighty God. When watching the reports from the last few days, many people say it was a providential moment. It probably was.
“When I stood up, surrounded by the Secret Service, the crowd was confused because they thought I was dead, and there was great, great sadness.
“But I could see it and I wanted them to know I was OK. Then I raised my right arm, looked at the thousands and thousands of people waiting breathlessly and started shouting ‘fight, fight, fight’.
“As soon as my clenched fist rose into the air — you’ve all seen it — the crowd realized I was OK and roared with pride for our country like no crowd I’ve ever heard before.
“For the rest of my life, I will be grateful for the love shown by that gigantic audience of patriots who stood bravely on that fateful night.
“Tragically, the shooter took the life of one of our fellow Americans, Corey Comperatore – an unbelievable person, everyone tells me – and seriously injured two other great warriors, I spoke to them today, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, two great people.
“I also spoke to all three families of these tremendous people. Our love and prayers are with them, and always will be. We will never forget them. They came to a big rally. They were serious Trumpsters, and still are, but Corey, unfortunately, we have to use the past tense.
“He was incredible. He was a highly respected former fire chief, respected by everyone. He was accompanied by his wife, Helen, an incredible woman. I spoke to her today, devastated, and to his two precious daughters. He lost his life acting selflessly. as a human shield to protect them from flying bullets. He passed over them and was hit.
“I want to thank the fire department and his family for sending his helmet. His outfit, and it was just one thing, and they’re going to do something really special when they get it, but we did something that can’t live up to what happened, not even close. But I’m very proud to say that in the last few days we’ve raised $6.3 million.
“And again, in talking to the family, I told them, I said, well, we’re going to send you a lot of money, but it can’t make up for it. , sir. We really appreciate what you are doing, but nothing can take its place. In the case of Corey and the other two, by the way, they were seriously injured, but they are now very well. They’ll be fine.
“They are warriors, so now I ask that we observe a moment of silence in honor of our friend Corey.
“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for others.”
This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com read the full story
