Bleeding and Clenching Fists
Background of Blue Sky with the Seongjogi
Strong Rallying Effect Among Republican Supporters
A photo taken immediately after former President Donald Trump was shot at a campaign rally is expected to potentially change the future landscape of the U.S. presidential election. The photographer recalled, "I knew it was a moment that needed to be recorded in American history."
On the 13th (local time), former President Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, was injured by a gunshot that pierced the upper part of his right ear during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump urgently evacuated while bleeding from his ear, received emergency treatment after safety was confirmed at the hospital, and was discharged. Through his social media, Trump said, "When I heard the buzzing sound and gunshots, I immediately knew something was wrong and felt the bullet tearing through my skin."
On the 13th (local time), former President Trump, who was shot during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, USA, is seen raising his fist above his head as he steps down from the stage. This photo was taken by Evan Vucci, an AP reporter who won the Pulitzer Prize in 2021. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]
A photo capturing Trump bleeding from his ear that day became a hot topic. The photo shows Trump with blood dripping from his ear, clenching his fist tightly. Behind him, the American flag fluttered against a blue sky. The photo was taken by Evan Vucci, chief photographer for the Associated Press (AP).
Vucci said in an interview with AP, "The moment I heard the gunshots, I knew this was a moment that needed to be recorded in American history." He recalled that several bursts of sounds suddenly came from over his left shoulder at the rally.
He explained, "I immediately knew it was gunfire. From that moment, I ran to the stage and started photographing the Secret Service agents surrounding former President Trump." Vucci, who was shooting from the left side of the stage, saw Secret Service agents arriving on the opposite side and quickly ran over there. He was then able to photograph Trump coming down from the right side of the stage from below. Vucci said, "I don't know exactly how long it took from start to finish, but in my mind, it all happened very quickly."
A veteran journalist who has worked at AP for over 20 years since 2003, Vucci won the Pulitzer Prize the following year for his photos covering nationwide Black rights protests after the death of George Floyd due to police brutality in 2020.
The photo has already spread rapidly online and on social media, effectively rallying Republican supporters. Donald Trump Jr., the former president’s eldest son, posted the photo on X (formerly Twitter) that day, saying, "He will never stop fighting to save America."
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