Susie Wiles reveals gripping details of a near-tragic assassination attempt on Donald Trump, sparking questions on how close we came to the unthinkable.
At a Glance
- Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt at a Butler, Pennsylvania, rally in July 2024.
- Security protocols have since intensified, reducing open-air public engagements.
- White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles attributes Trump’s survival in part to divine intervention via an immigration chart.
- Wiles recalled an unexpectedly cordial transition process with Biden’s staff post-2024 election.
A Moment of Chaos in Butler
In a recent, candid interview, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles recounted the harrowing moments of the July 2024 assassination attempt on then-candidate Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. Wiles described the sheer panic and chaos as a bullet grazed Trump’s ear during a campaign rally.
“We were just crazy the minute he was hit,” Wiles told Fox News. “You think the worst. You cannot; it’s human, you can’t think otherwise.” Her recollection provides a visceral, behind-the-scenes look at a moment that shocked the nation, revealing the initial fear that Trump had been critically wounded before he defiantly rose to his feet.
An Unlikely Intercession
Wiles also revealed a remarkable detail about the split second that may have saved Trump from a more severe or fatal injury. She believes it was divine intervention, working through an unusual object: an immigration chart. According to Wiles, just before the shot was fired, Trump was looking down at the chart, a movement that likely altered the bullet’s trajectory.
In the immediate aftermath, as security protocols went into high gear, the Trump campaign sent an internal memo to staff, praising the “courageous efforts” of the Secret Service and first responders. For his part, Trump later said, “It was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening.”
The Aftermath and Unexpected Kindness
The assassination attempt led to a significant overhaul of security protocols, with fewer large, open-air events. It also, according to Wiles, led to a moment of unexpected grace from their political opponents. Recalling the presidential transition after the 2024 election, Wiles noted the kindness of President Biden’s outgoing staff.
BREAKING: The shooting at Donald Trump's rally is being investigated as an attempted assassination of the former president, law enforcement officials say. https://t.co/t9MrWYG8Av
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 13, 2024
“They could not have been more kind to me as we were transitioning,” she said, making a clear distinction between the staff and the administration’s politics. “They were terrific… what resources were at our fingertips.” This glimpse of civility stands in stark contrast to the political violence that nearly changed the course of American history.
