Trump holds new rally at site where he was attacked and Musk attends as guest

With tight security, former US President and Republican candidate for the White House Donald Trump returned this Saturday (05/10) to lead a new rally in Butler, in the state of Pennsylvania, where in July he faced an assassination attempt. Had to do.

“As I was saying…” he told the crowd at the beginning of the speech, a reference to the disruption at the previous rally less than three months earlier. “For 15 seconds, time stopped. This cruel monster spread evil… The villain was unable to achieve his goal.”

Next, Trump touched on common themes of his campaign, such as attacks on immigrants and transgender Americans, as well as criticism of Kamala Harris, his Democratic rival in the presidential race.

Trump spoke on the same stage where he was hit by a rifle bullet in his right ear while speaking to a crowd of supporters on July 13. The gunman was killed by agents, but the case also exposed a series of lapses in the candidate’s security and led to the downfall of the director of the US Secret Service.

One of the attendees of that Trump rally, Corey Comperer, was struck and killed by a bullet fired by the assailant against the former president.

At the new rally this Saturday, Trump had about 50 “VIP” guests, including businessman Elon Musk.

SpaceX and owner of the social network

In addition to Musk, Trump invited the comprador’s family members, including his wife, daughters, and sister, as well as ten local sheriffs, Republican congressmen, and his vice presidential nominee, Senator J.D. Vance.

The assassination attempt on Trump rocked the US election campaign and led to the resignation of Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle days later, acknowledging that the episode was an unprecedented security failure.

For days after the attack, Trump’s campaign also dominated the news, leading analysts to speculate whether the episode would decisively sway Republicans in the presidential race.

But, just a week later, after his defeat in the elections, US President Joe Biden withdrew from contesting re-election, clearing the way for his Vice President Kamala Harris and changing the dynamics of the dispute. The attack immediately led to a shift in the news in the Democratic campaign.

shooter

Trump was shot and wounded by a 20-year-old man, whose motive remains unknown to this day.

The young man opened fire from a rooftop about 135 meters away from the stage where Trump was speaking, shortly after several people alerted security services to his suspicious presence.

After the attack, the Secret Service recommended that the former president limit his events to indoor venues and approved a plan to improve their security that included the use of armored glass panels.

Trump unveiled the device at a rally in North Carolina in August.

On September 15, Trump was the target of an assassination attempt for the second time, when Secret Service agents spotted a man with a semi-automatic rifle hiding behind bushes at the politician and businessman’s Florida golf club.

JPS (EFE, AFP, OTS)