Donald Trump said Sunday that he has no “fear” and remains “defiant” after the former US president and Republican candidate for 2024 survived an assassination attempt during a campaign rally.
Trump was shot in the ear during the event on Saturday afternoon in Butler, Pennsylvania. One person was killed and at least two others are in critical condition. “Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening,” Trump said in a statement on his Truth Social platform. “We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness,” he said.
Trump added that it is “more important than ever” that the country remains “united”, “strong and determined,” and not to allow “Evil to Win.” The former president said he was “looking forward” to speaking at the party’s national convention in Wisconsin next week, where he is expected to be formally nominated as the Republican candidate for the presidential elections in November. The FBI has identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, age 20, a white male originally from Pennsylvania. Authorities still do not know what his motive was or whether he had an accomplice. The local Pittsburgh media WTAE said that the shooter used an AR-15 rifle and fired eight shots before being shot by Secret Service agents. Authorities have confirmed that the attacker killed a rally attendee, wounded Trump in the right ear and seriously injured two others in the audience.