Mentions of "God's Blessing" and "A Second Life"
...Treating Friends with Greater Care
There are reports that after surviving an assassination attempt while he was the Republican presidential candidate, President Donald Trump has shown noticeable changes, such as taking greater care of those around him and a strengthened conviction that he was "saved by God." The incident marks its one-year anniversary on July 13 (local time).
On July 13 last year, during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania?a key swing state?former President Trump was giving a speech when he was shot in the upper part of his right ear by a 20-year-old man, Thomas Matthew Crooks (deceased). The attack resulted in one person at the scene being killed and two others sustaining serious injuries.
President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate in the United States, was shot and evacuated while campaigning in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13 last year, raising his fist toward his supporters. This photo was taken by Evan Vucci, an AP photographer who won the Pulitzer Prize in 2021. AP Yonhap News
At the time, as President Trump was being escorted away from the scene by security agents, he shouted "Fight, fight, fight," which has since become a signature slogan for him.
Trump has decorated the interiors of the White House and his golf club buildings with photos and paintings of the dramatic moment when, after being shot, he stood up again and raised his fist to the sky, shouting "Fight, fight."
One painting depicting that moment hangs on the wall of the corridor leading to the residence beside the central staircase in the White House. Since earlier this year, a bronze sculpture illustrating that scene has also been placed on the side table next to the president's desk in the Oval Office.
Major U.S. media outlets have reported that those close to President Trump say he began to show signs of change after returning from the brink of death. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a longtime ally of President Trump, said, "That incident seems to have left a lasting impression deep in President Trump's mind," and added, "He is still rough and unpredictable and hasn't suddenly become like a Buddhist monk, but he is more appreciative and shows more interest in his friends." It was also reported that President Trump sent Senator Graham a birthday message this year, something he had not done before.
Donald Trump, President of the United States, is seen bleeding and being supported by bodyguards after being shot during a presidential campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13 last year. Photo by Yonhap News
It is said that since the incident, President Trump has mentioned "God's protection" much more frequently. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said on a podcast last week, "President Trump believes there is a reason he survived," adding, "He believes he was saved by God. In the past, he may never have thought about such things, but this time he truly acknowledges it."
She went on to say that every time the president says "God bless America," he likely feels those words as a personal blessing.
In an interview with Fox News airing on the night of July 12, President Trump said that the day he was shot was "a tough day" for the agents who protected him, and that "mistakes were made that should not have happened."
According to excerpts from the interview conducted by his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, President Trump mentioned that the Secret Service sniper who killed the assailant was named David, and said, "He was able to neutralize the suspect with a single long-distance shot. If he hadn't done so, things could have been much worse."
Meanwhile, on the first anniversary of the shooting, July 13, President Trump is scheduled to attend the FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey.
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