Former US President Donald Trump shot at campaign rally, but safe

Trump was speaking to thousands of supporters in Butler town of the swing state at two days before the Republican National Convention is set to nominate him as the party’s presidential candidate. Live footage captured a series of shots as Trump ducked below the podium and took cover. Within seconds, US secret service agents covered Trump, as other agents rushed to the stage and did the same. The agents then helped Trump up, as he raised his fist into the air and gave a determined look to the crowd. As he was being escorted out, it appeared that his ear was bleeding and there was blood on his face.

At 6.42 pm eastern time, US Secret Service Chief of communications, Anthony Guglielmi, said on X, “An incident occurred the evening of July 13 at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania. The Secret Service has implemented protective measures and the former President is safe. This is now an active Secret Service investigation and further information will be released when available.”

Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said, “President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act. He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow.”

The White House said that President Joe Biden, who is also Trump’s rival in the upcoming presidential elections, has received a briefing.

The shooting, of which no details are publicly available so far, is sure to affect the political landscape four months before the presidential election where Trump is leading in polls. Trump is attempting a rare return to the White House for a non-consecutive term. He did not accept the legitimacy of the 2020 election, which was followed by a mob attacking the US Capitol to block the certification of the results in a display of political violence. Trump is also a convicted felon who faces multiple criminal charges.

But he swept the Republican primaries and is running a campaign against the Biden administration’s approach to immigration (while promising to deport all illegal immigrants), economy and foreign policy. Biden, whose age-related vulnerabilities came to sharp focus during a debate on June 27, is facing a huge internal backlash within Democratic Party with growing calls that he drops out of the race.

It is too early to tell how the shooting will affect US politics. But what’s clear is that it may be a defining moment in an already unprecedented election and brings political violence centre-stage in the world’s oldest democracy. Despite a gun epidemic in US with mass shooting being a key reason for killings, political violence targeted at top national figures has dropped in recent decades.