From Staff Reports

BUTLER, Pa. —  Former President Donald Trump was wounded on a Pennsylvania campaign stage by a sniper’s bullet on July 13 night “in an apparent assassination attempt that nearly claimed his life,” The New York Post reported later July 13, citing law enforcement sources.

In the aftermath, Dan Bongino, a radio talk show host and former Secret Service agent, is one of many calling for the agency’s director, Kimberly Cheatle, to resign immediately for her “apocalyptic security failure” after Trump narrowly escaped assassination. 

Trump told the Post on July 14: “‘The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this — he called it a miracle,’ said Trump, who was sporting a large, loose white bandage that covered his right ear. His staff insisted that no photos be taken.

“‘I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,’ Trump told the Post. ‘I’m supposed to be dead.’

“He (the doctor) said he (Trump) would be (dead) if he had not turned his head slightly to the right to read a chart on illegal immigrants. At that instant, what would have been a ‘kill shot’ tore off a small piece of his ear and splattered blood on his forehead and cheek.”

Meanwhile, 7News.com reported that “Trump took to Truth Social on Sunday night (July 14),declaring he would not be changing his campaign schedule,” as follows:.

“Based on yesterday’s terrible events, I was going to delay my trip to Wisconsin, and The Republican National Convention, by two days, but have just decided that I cannot allow a ‘shooter.’ or potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else. Therefore, I will be leaving for Milwaukee, as scheduled, at 3:30 P.M. TODAY (July 14). Thank you! DJT”

Indeed, about 8:45 a.m. July 15, ABC News confirmed that “former President Donald Trump has arrived in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention a day after he was targeted” by a would-be assassin. He is expected to be confirmed at the GOP’s presidential nominee.

The Hill reported on July 15 that “former President Trump said Sunday (July 14) that he rewrote his speech for this week’s Republican National Convention to focus on unity following the assassination attempt against him over the weekend.

“The speech I was going to give on Thursday (July 18 night) was going to be a humdinger,” Trump said in an interview with the Washington Examiner.

“This is a chance to bring the whole country, even the whole world, together. The speech willbe a lot different, a lot different than it would’ve been two days ago,” he was quoted by TheHill as saying.

As for the assassinatin attempt, Trump was speaking at a packed outdoors rally in Butler, “when bullets started flying,” the New York Post noted.

The gunman was later identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, sources told The Post.

“Shots broke out just after 6:10 p.m. as Trump showed off a chart of border crossing numbers

Further, the Post reported the following on the Trump assassination attempt:

"Footage shows him grabbing his ear as shots are fired — with the crowd screaming behind him — and then someone yelling ‘Get down, get down, get down, get down!’ as Secret Service agents piled on top of him to shield him.

“Trump appeared to be hit in the ear.

“As blood gushed from his ear, Trump was then rushed off stage — but not before boldly pumping his fist into the air and twice telling the crowd to 'fight' He was then whisked away in a car to a Pittsburgh-area hospital.

“‘He came within inches of having his face shot open,’ a senior law enforcement source told The Post.

“Crooks was not immediately identified because he wasn’t carrying identification on him, and was killed by a Secret Service assault team.

“One rally-goer was killed and two others wounded. Their identities have not been

released.”

The Post also noted the following:

''Crooks was believed to have crawled on the roof of a manufacturing plant about 400 feet from the former president at the Butler Farm Show grounds — outside the security perimeter, according to law enforcement sources.

“The counter-sniper team, which sources told The Post killed the shooter, returned fire from the roof of another building close to where Trump was located — behind the audience stands.

“An AR-style semi-automatic assault rifle was recorded from the scene, law enforcement sources told the Associated Press. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer announced that his panel will open an investigation into the shooting.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee for the November election, delivered a televised address from the Oval Office in the White House on July 14 as follows:

“There is no place in America for this kind of violence, for any violence ever. Period. No exceptions. We can’t allow this violence to be normalized,” he said. “The political rhetoric in this country has gotten very heated. It’s time to cool it down.”

Reuters reported that “Biden and Trump spoke to each other on Saturday night (Julyu 13) after the shooting.

First Lady Jill Biden also spoke with former First Lady Melania Trump on Sunday afternoon (July 14), said a White House official.

However, five days earlier, Biden was heard in a campaign meeting saying, “it’s time to put Trump in a bullseye” with regards to the campaign, according to audio obtained by Politico.

Reuters added, “Trump and Biden are locked in a close election rematch, according to most opinion polls including by Reuters/Ipsos. The shooting on Saturday (July 13) whipsawed discussion around the presidential campaign, which had been focused on if Biden, 81, should drop out following a halting June 27 debate performance.”

In Butler, Pa., one Trump supporter told the BBC that he spotted an apparent sniper armed with a rifle on the roof of a building outside the security perimeter of the rally.

The witness said he and friends, who were hosting a party outside the rally, tried to alert Secret Service — to no avail, and then watched the man open fire five times. Video that is reportedly from the scene shows the gunman dead on the roof of a warehouse, with Trump supporters gathered around.

The terrifying attack marked the first attempt to assassinate a president or a presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981.

Locally, Roger Buckner, an Asheville native, an occasional columnist for the Daily Planet and a Trump enthusiast, texted the Daily Planet the following after the failed assassination attempt:

“The question for today is: Who is responsible for the rhetoric and demonization that caused this to happen and has brought the country to this state? We all know the answer to that... I think that is why the Democratic attack ads have been pulled....

“As I get ready to end the day, I ask myself: ‘What haven’t I finished?’ That is to remember God. Thank you, sir, for making this day turn out the way it did. Thank you for saving Donald Trump. Please continue to bless him and hold him undeer your wing. Thank you!"