A year after the attempted attack on then-candidate Donald Trump, associates and advisors mentioned how the incident has made him a more attentive and grateful person.
Advisors interviewed by the AP agency claim that the president openly discusses how he believes God saved him to steer the country in a new direction during his second term.
Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the president's allies, said that the incident is always at the back of Trump's mind.
"He's still a tough and energetic guy, you know. He hasn't turned into a zen Buddhist. But I think he's more grateful now. He's more considerate with his friends," he said.
“It’s a miracle that he’s not dead. He was definitely a man who believed he had a second chance in life,” he added.
Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles, recently referred to how the president believes that divine intervention saved him and strengthened him in his mission.
"I believe he thinks he was saved. That's right. And never - even if he thought so before, I don't think he would have admitted it. And now he does," she assured.
"He was always the last in the rotation. And he was always on the other side. So the fact that he asked for that chart 8 minutes later, and that it appeared on the opposite side, made him look in a different direction and lift his head a bit because he was taller. And that just doesn’t happen for no reason. It happened because, I believe, God wanted him to live," said Wiles, Trump’s campaign manager at the time of the attack, who shares the president's views on the incident.
"To show the American public a person who fought as hard as she did that day, I believe that, as horrible and tragic as it was, it turned out to be something that revealed her character to people. And that is useful," she added regarding public opinion.
The controversial advisor and ideologist Roger Stone said that his personal friend is a calmer and more determined person after the incident.
"He told me directly that he believed he was saved by God with the purpose of restoring the greatness of the nation, and he deeply believes that he is now protected by the Lord," he commented.
An opinion shared with Ralph Reed, president of the Faith and Freedom Coalition.
"I think that people who know the president commonly believe that he has changed. I mean, how could he not? Imagine if you were who he was and if you didn't turn your head at that moment..." (...) "He knew he was lucky to be alive," Reed said.
"It is difficult not to feel, on some level, that the hand of providence protected him for a greater purpose. And there are people I've spoken to who said they were sure he would win for that reason. That there must have been a reason," he elaborated.
Last Friday, Trump said to Fox News that after the attack he feels he has "the obligation to do a good job, I feel that way because I was truly saved."
"I owe a lot. And I believe —I hope— that the reason I was saved was to save our country," he reflects.
Attack on Trump
The assassination attempt took place on July 13, when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks managed to set up armed on an unmonitored rooftop just 137 meters from the stage where Trump was giving a speech in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The attacker opened fire, injuring Trump in one ear and killing firefighter Corey Comperatore. Crooks was shot down by a Secret Service sniper seconds after the shooting began.
At the time, lawmakers from both parties harshly criticized the Secret Service for the mistakes made before and during the attack, which federal authorities classified as a possible act of domestic terrorism.
As a result of bipartisan pressure, Kimberly Cheatle resigned as the director of the agency less than two weeks after the incident. Before stepping down, she publicly acknowledged her responsibility for the security failures.
A report released by the Secret Service in September detailed numerous mistakes, such as the lack of communication with local law enforcement, the use of unofficial channels (like text messages and cell phones) to transmit critical information, and omissions in monitoring elevated positions, such as the rooftop from where the shooter fired.
The report itself emphasizes that the agents detected the suspect 20 minutes before the shooting, but did not act with the necessary urgency.
In December, a task force from the House of Representatives published a comprehensive 180-page report concluding that the Butler attack was "preventable," although not attributable to a single decision or specific mistake.
Among his 12 recommendations, he proposed recording all radio broadcasts and creating special protocols for high-risk situations.
In contrast, the report highlighted the successful performance of the Secret Service in a second assassination attempt against Trump, which occurred in September in Florida and was thwarted thanks to an "effective and well-coordinated response."
The assassination attempt in Butler left a deep mark on the politics and national security of the United States, highlighting the vulnerabilities in the protection protocols for public figures, even during pre-planned and monitored events.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Attack on Donald Trump and Its Repercussions
How did the attack affect Donald Trump?
The attack made Trump more grateful and attentive, according to those close to him. Trump believes he was saved by God to fulfill a greater purpose in his life and political mission.
What mistakes were made in Trump's security on the day of the attack?
The Secret Service made several mistakes, such as a lack of communication with local police and the use of unofficial channels for critical information. The attacker was also detected 20 minutes before the shooting, but action was not taken quickly enough.
Who was responsible for the attack against Donald Trump?
The attacker was Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old who managed to set up armed on a rooftop near the location where Trump was giving a speech. Crooks was shot down by a sniper from the Secret Service.
What impact did the attack have on the national security policy of the United States?
The attack exposed vulnerabilities in the protection protocols for public figures, leading to a review of these protocols. A report from the House of Representatives highlighted that the attack was "preventable" and suggested improvements to security procedures.
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