Donald Trump is set to return Saturday to the scene where a gunman tried to assassinate him in July, and the former president is now in near-constant concern about fulfilling his promise, or “really an obligation.” Setting aside concerns for one’s own safety. He recently told the people of Butler, Pennsylvania:
“I’ll start by saying, ‘Like I said…'” the Republican presidential candidate said with a touch of dark humor about his speech being interrupted by a bullet hitting Trump in the ear and blowing him out. Dew,” he joked. He was on stage, his fists raised, blood dripping down his face.
President Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, is also scheduled to attend the Butler Farm Show, as is billionaire Elon Musk. ‘s return is increasingly likely to generate headlines. It is against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
The campaign expects tens of thousands of people to attend the event, which is billed as a “tribute to the American spirit.” Local hotels, motels and inns were fully booked, and some eager rally participants had already arrived Friday, according to a local Facebook page.
Hundreds of people lined up as the sun rose on Saturday. A memorial to firefighter Corey Comperatore, who died protecting his family from gunfire, was set up in the bleachers and featured a firefighter’s jacket surrounded by flowers.
“President Trump looks forward to returning to Butler, Pennsylvania, to honor the victims of that tragic day,” said Trump campaign spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt. “The willingness of Pennsylvanians to help President Trump return to Butler reflects the strength and resiliency of the American people.”
President Trump will use the event at 5 p.m. ET to remember Comperatore and pay tribute to other rally attendees David Dutch and James Copenhaver who were injured in the assassination attempt. They and Trump were attacked when gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, opened fire from a nearby unsecured rooftop and was then shot dead by a sniper.
How Mr. Crooks was able to outwit police and scramble to the roof of a building within easy shooting distance of the former president that day is the worst Secret Service security in decades. It’s one of the countless unanswered questions about failure. The other thing is his motive, which has not yet been revealed.
“Everyone is redoubling our efforts to make sure this is done safely and accurately,” Butler County District Attorney Rich Goldinger told WPXI-TV this week.
County Sheriff Mike Throop told the agency that the Secret Service, which is waging a desperate bid to respond to two attempts on President Trump’s life, has “four times as much assets” as it did in July. He said that he estimates that they are investing in
Butler County is on the western edge of a highly coveted presidential battleground state and is President Trump’s home base. Voter turnout in the county has hovered around an astonishing 80%, with voters receiving about 66% of the vote in both 2016 and 2020. Of Butler County’s 139,000 registered voters, about 57% are Republicans, compared to about 29% Democrats.
Three months after the shooting, residents are divided over the value of Trump’s return. Heidi Priest, a Butler resident who started a Facebook group supporting Harris, said Trump’s previous visit inflamed political tensions in the city.
“Every time I see people supporting him and being excited that he’s here, it scares people who don’t want to see him reelected,” she said.
But if Mr. Trump wants to win Pennsylvania in November, he will need to increase turnout in conservative strongholds such as Butler County, an overwhelmingly white suburban and rural community. Harris has also targeted Pennsylvania, holding repeated rallies there as part of her aggressive campaign in the key battleground state.
