Bewal Express
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A member of the NRA and card carrying member of the GOP, although he did make a $15 donation to some Dem group.
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Contact the PP Team
[VIDEOS] Trump safe after second apparent assassination attempt, suspect in custody [Post Updated #133]
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Bewal Express
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The Dems will get Biden shot with some energy drink
Cpt. Rishwat
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That wasn't going off topic, I was answering a question about what was happening to the US which was on topic.
You for some reason brought Pakistan into it when no one else had even mentioned Pakistan. Even then I didn't object to that, but that you did it by making a false assumption that Pakistan is the biggest supporter of USA. If you are going to deflect, at least make it on the basis of solid foundation.
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That is a strange thing to say for a country that is 250 years old of largely white protestant origins. US culture is their movies, their music, franchise sports, world class companies, literature, tech & science innovations .. what more do you want lol ?
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Thomas Matthew Crooks: What we know about the Trump attacker
The FBI has named the man who shot at Donald Trump during a campaign rally as Thomas Matthew Crooks.
Crooks is alleged to have opened fire while the former US president was addressing a crowd in Butler, Pennsylvania, leaving one audience member dead and two others badly hurt.
The 20-year-old kitchen worker was shot dead at the scene by a Secret Service sniper, officials said.
In a statement, the FBI said Crooks was the “subject involved” in the assassination attempt on the former president and that an active investigation was under way.
www.bbc.com
The FBI has named the man who shot at Donald Trump during a campaign rally as Thomas Matthew Crooks.
Crooks is alleged to have opened fire while the former US president was addressing a crowd in Butler, Pennsylvania, leaving one audience member dead and two others badly hurt.
The 20-year-old kitchen worker was shot dead at the scene by a Secret Service sniper, officials said.
In a statement, the FBI said Crooks was the “subject involved” in the assassination attempt on the former president and that an active investigation was under way.
Thomas Matthew Crooks: What we know about Donald Trump's attacker
The 20-year-old kitchen worker and registered Republican has been named by the FBI as the gunman.
www.bbc.com
Not really. Unless the shooter was an illegal or antifa types, he will not garner much sympathy.
In this case it was a white guy. Media will spin it as some mentally ill person. Just wait and watch.
Don’t forget that there are enough things going around the world for the far leftist media to put a smoke screen.
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Guys better to stay on topic of this thread no need to bring Pakistan Establishment into the discussion here.
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Trump headed to Republican convention after surviving assassination attempt
Donald Trump said he was headed on Sunday to Milwaukee where Republicans will formally nominate him for president later this week after he survived an assassination attempt that further inflamed an already bitter U.S. political divide.
President Joe Biden, a Democrat, said he had ordered a review of how a 20-year-old man carrying an AR-15-style rifle managed on Saturday to get close enough to shoot from a rooftop at Trump, who as a former president has lifetime protection by the U.S. Secret Service.
Trump, 78, was holding a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania - one of the states expected to be most competitive in the Nov. 5 election - when shots rang out, hitting his right ear and streaking his face with blood. His campaign said he was doing well and appeared to have suffered no major injury besides a wound on his upper right ear.
Trump is due to receive his party's formal nomination at the Republican National Convention, which kicks off in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Monday. Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley said on Fox News on Sunday that authorities are working together to safeguard the venue, where officials have spent months making security preparations.
Donald Trump said he was headed on Sunday to Milwaukee where Republicans will formally nominate him for president later this week after he survived an assassination attempt that further inflamed an already bitter U.S. political divide.
President Joe Biden, a Democrat, said he had ordered a review of how a 20-year-old man carrying an AR-15-style rifle managed on Saturday to get close enough to shoot from a rooftop at Trump, who as a former president has lifetime protection by the U.S. Secret Service.
Trump, 78, was holding a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania - one of the states expected to be most competitive in the Nov. 5 election - when shots rang out, hitting his right ear and streaking his face with blood. His campaign said he was doing well and appeared to have suffered no major injury besides a wound on his upper right ear.
Trump is due to receive his party's formal nomination at the Republican National Convention, which kicks off in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Monday. Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley said on Fox News on Sunday that authorities are working together to safeguard the venue, where officials have spent months making security preparations.
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A law enforcement source confirms to the BBC's US partner, CBS News, that bomb material was found in both the gunman's residence and vehicle.
The devices are being described by the FBI as "rudimentary".
The source told CBS that the materials are being analysed in an FBI laboratory at the agency's base in Quantico, Virginia.
The devices are being described by the FBI as "rudimentary".
The source told CBS that the materials are being analysed in an FBI laboratory at the agency's base in Quantico, Virginia.
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Trump praises Secret Service, says Biden call was 'very nice'
Former President Donald Trump praised Secret Service agents who acted quickly to protect him and get him offstage following the attempt on his life at his Saturday rally in Pennsylvania.
"They did a fantastic job," he said in an interview with the New York Post on Sunday.
Reflecting on the shooting, Trump said, "I'm not supposed to be here, I'm supposed to be dead."
Trump praised the crowd at his rally for how they reacted in the moment.
"A lot of places, especially soccer games, you hear a single shot, everybody runs. Here there were many shots and they stayed," he said, adding, "I love them. They are such great people."
In the interview, which the Post reported also included a reporter from the Washington Examiner, Trump addressed the call he received from President Joe Biden saying it was "very nice."
Sen. Lindsey Graham, who the Post reported was on the flight with Trump, said of the former president, "He feels like he has a new lease on life."
Source: ABC News
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Trump will deliver 'whole different speech' at RNC after shooting
A day after being grazed by a bullet in an attempted assassination, former president Donald Trump said he plans to take advantage of the moment and deliver a message of unity to meet the moment.
"The speech I was going to give on Thursday was going to be a humdinger," Trump said as he boarded his flight en route to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. "Honestly, it’s going to be a whole different speech now."
"It is a chance to bring the country together. I was given that chance," Trump added.
He said that many people from the political spectrum have called him over the past 24 hours and described the moment he turned his head on stage to look at the screen, which ultimately could have saved his life.
Source: ABC News
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Trump underwent a precautionary CT scan after shooting: Sources
Former President Donald Trump underwent a precautionary CT scan after he was shot on the upper ear during his campaign event Saturday, sources told ABC News.
The scan came back clear, sources said.
Source: ABC News
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Trump arrives in Milwaukee for Republican convention
Former US President Donald Trump has arrived in Wisconsin for the Republican National Convention, a day after surviving an assassination attempt.
The party conference in Milwaukee is going ahead as planned despite Saturday evening’s shooting at a rally in Pennsylvania, in which Trump was shot in the ear.
Trump posted on social media that he had considered delaying his trip by two days, “but have just decided that I cannot allow a 'shooter,' or potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else”.
The attack on the candidate has put a heightened focus on safety and security of the event, which begins on Monday at the arena that is home to the NBA Milwaukee Bucks basketball team.
But Audrey Gibson-Cicchino, RNC coordinator for the US Secret Service, said during a Sunday afternoon news conference in Milwaukee that there would be no changes to the security plan.
Some 50,000 people are expected to attend the four-day jamboree of pageantry, politics and policy as the party makes its case to voters ahead of November’s general election.
Once every four years each of the two main US parties hosts a convention to formally select their respective White House standard-bearer and prepare for the final stretch of campaigning.
The conferences include high-profile speakers, as well as a primetime speech from the presidential candidate.
During the convention, the delegates from each state pledge their support to the candidate of their choice and approve a platform.
It is merely a formality for Trump as the party's presumptive nominee because he won 2,265 delegates in the primaries, which is enough for the nomination.
The Democrats will hold their convention next month in Chicago.
Trump is not expected to speak until Thursday night.
One of the biggest moments of the conference will be when he unveils his vice-presidential candidate.
But as the dust settles from the assassination attempt, it is unclear when Trump will announce who he has chosen as his running mate, or when he or she will speak.
Donald Trump Jr, the former president's son, is expected to speak on Wednesday.
South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, one of Trump’s fiercest rivals during the Republican primary, was originally expected to skip the RNC.
But after the assassination attempt, it was reported that she will now not only attend but speak at the conference.
Other speakers reportedly include Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia congresswoman, Arizona Senate contender Kari Lake, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Dana White, head of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and Teamsters union general president Sean O'Brien.
RNC co-chair Lara Trump, the daughter-in-law of the former president, said celebrities will also be among the speakers.
Amber Rose, model, reality star and former girlfriend of Kanye West, is expected address the crowd.
But former stalwarts of the Republican party establishment, such George W Bush, Mike Pence and Mitt Romney, are not on the guest list.
Former First Lady Melania Trump, who rarely makes public appearances, will attend the convention, according to US media.
Mrs Trump did not attend the 27 June debate between President Joe Biden and Trump. Neither did she attend her husband’s hush-money trial earlier this year.
While the former first lady has held Republican fundraisers in the past year, this would be her first major appearance of this election cycle.
Monday's theme will be "Make America Wealthy Once Again", Tuesday will be "Make America Safe Again", Wednesday is "Make America Strong Again" and Thursday is "Make America Great Once Again".
The party platform this year sits at 16 pages.
Some themes of Project 2025, a much longer think-tank proposal, are also likely to come up during the convention.
Project 2025 — from which Trump has distanced himself — calls for expanding presidential powers, eliminating thousands of civil servant posts, tax cuts and dismantling the Department of Education.
A demonstration, the Coalition to March on the RNC, is scheduled for noon local time on Monday.
Organizers say they expect 5,000 protesters, with backing from 125 liberal activist groups around the country.
Omar Flores, co-chair of the coalition, said on Friday: “Join us to fight against the Republicans’ racist and reactionary agenda, to stand with Palestine; to defend women’s, to defend and expand immigrant rights and to advocate for peace, justice and equity.”
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said the city would ensure public safety is tantamount this week.
“A national special security event is the highest designation that you can get for a security event of its size and magnitude in the United States,” Mayor Johnson said. — BBC
Trump arrives in Milwaukee for Republican convention
Former US President Donald Trump has arrived in Wisconsin for the Republican National Convention, a day after surviving an assassination attempt.
saudigazette.com.sa
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Trump breaks silence on assassination attempt: 'I'm not supposed to be here'
Former President Trump is now breaking his silence on the assassination attempt against him during a rally on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania.
"I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead," Trump told the New York Post. "I’m supposed to be dead."
"The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this, he called it a miracle," Trump also told the newspaper onboard his private plane while heading to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for this week’s Republican National Convention. "By luck or by God, many people are saying it’s by God I’m still here."
Trump told the Post that had he not turned his head slightly to the right to read a chart on illegal immigration, the bullet that grazed him would have been fatal.
He described the Secret Service agents that rushed at him like "linebackers," mentioning another one eliminated the gunman with "one shot right between the eyes."
"They did a fantastic job," he told the Post. "It’s surreal for all of us."
As Secret Service agents rushed Trump off the stage, he was heard saying he wanted to get his shoes.
"The agents hit me so hard that my shoes fell off, and my shoes are tight," he explained to the Post.
Trump, reacting to images of him raising his fist and being surrounded by Secret Service agents in the seconds following the shooting, said, "A lot of people say it’s the most iconic photo they’ve ever seen."
"They’re right and I didn’t die. Usually you have to die to have an iconic picture," he added. "I just wanted to keep speaking, but I just got shot."
Trump also told the New York Post that he appreciated the "fine" and "very nice" call he received from President Biden in the aftermath of the event, noting – without specifics – that the race between them could be more civil going forward.
He praised his rally audience for staying calm during the entire incident.
"A lot of places … you hear a single shot, everybody runs. Here there were many shots and they stayed," Trump said. "I love them. They are such great people."
Trump breaks silence on assassination attempt: 'I'm not supposed to be here'
Former President Trump speaks out for the first time since the assassination attempt on Saturday at his campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The conspiracy theory of Russian collusion that Leftie media fed people for more than a year is already disproved.
There is no evidence that Putin rigged the 2016 US elections in favor of Trump. But CNN, NBC, CBS and ABC spent countless hours peddling that Trump somehow stole the 2016 elections with the help of Putin.
Aang_The_last_airbender
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I am not talking about election interreference. I am talking about the dynamics of Trump-Putin relationship. With Trump in power, Putin will instantly get what he wants in the Ukraine conflict.
Stewie
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There was no collusion found between Trump and Russia, but there was plenty of evidence that Russia tried to interfere in the election by using social media and other methods to sway public opinion towards Trump because the Russians felt Hilary wont be as easy to handle for them as Trump.
Stewie
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and while there is no evidence of his collusion with Russia, he has made several public statements and made policy decisions in the past that gave his favorable view of Putin and Russia. I think those instances are well documented as well.
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FBI probing Trump rally shooting as ‘domestic terrorism’ as RNC opens
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is continuing to scour over evidence in the attack on former United States President Donald Trump, which it is now investigating as “domestic terrorism”, the agency said in a statement.
Trump, speaking at a Saturday campaign rally in Pennsylvania, was shot in the right ear by an attacker perched on a rooftop outside the venue, in the first assassination attempt on a US presidential figure in more than four decades.
Trump escaped the attack with no serious injury, showing the crowd a raised fist before being whisked away by the Secret Service. But the attacker’s bullets killed a rally attendee and injured two others in the crowd.
The FBI’s investigation so far indicates the suspect – Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20 – acted alone. But the agency continues to look into any possible co-conspirators, it said.
It has yet to identify a motive for the attacker, a registered Republican who once also made a small donation to a left-wing political group.
Former classmates of the suspect told local media he was known as a “loner” and “outcast” in high school and incessantly bullied. Others who attended the suspect’s school told ABC News he had been rejected by the high school rifle team, describing him as a “bad shot”.
Law enforcement, which recovered the AR-style rifle the attacker allegedly used at the rally on Saturday, has also found “suspicious devices” at his home and vehicle, said the FBI.
“We are working to determine the sequence of events and the shooter’s movements prior to the shooting, collecting and reviewing evidence, conducting interviews, and following up on all leads,” said the agency.
www.aljazeera.com
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is continuing to scour over evidence in the attack on former United States President Donald Trump, which it is now investigating as “domestic terrorism”, the agency said in a statement.
Trump, speaking at a Saturday campaign rally in Pennsylvania, was shot in the right ear by an attacker perched on a rooftop outside the venue, in the first assassination attempt on a US presidential figure in more than four decades.
Trump escaped the attack with no serious injury, showing the crowd a raised fist before being whisked away by the Secret Service. But the attacker’s bullets killed a rally attendee and injured two others in the crowd.
The FBI’s investigation so far indicates the suspect – Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20 – acted alone. But the agency continues to look into any possible co-conspirators, it said.
It has yet to identify a motive for the attacker, a registered Republican who once also made a small donation to a left-wing political group.
Former classmates of the suspect told local media he was known as a “loner” and “outcast” in high school and incessantly bullied. Others who attended the suspect’s school told ABC News he had been rejected by the high school rifle team, describing him as a “bad shot”.
Law enforcement, which recovered the AR-style rifle the attacker allegedly used at the rally on Saturday, has also found “suspicious devices” at his home and vehicle, said the FBI.
“We are working to determine the sequence of events and the shooter’s movements prior to the shooting, collecting and reviewing evidence, conducting interviews, and following up on all leads,” said the agency.
FBI probing Trump rally shooting as ‘domestic terrorism’ as RNC opens
Evidence thus far points to the suspect acting alone, says the FBI, but it has yet to identify a motive.
Its hilarious to see Leftie outlets calling the incident as Trump Rally Shooting instead of calling it an Assassination attempt.
Media is trying its best to do the damage control for Dems by downplaying the incident as some random shooting at Trump's event.
Media is trying its best to do the damage control for Dems by downplaying the incident as some random shooting at Trump's event.
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T-shirts showing Trump after shooting pulled in China
Chinese e-commerce platforms have taken down t-shirts featuring an image of Donald Trump pumping his fist into the air moments after he was shot at.
The T-shirts, which went on sale within hours of the shooting, were available on popular e-commerce sites like Taobao and JD.com.
It is unclear why the listings were taken down, but the Chinese internet is heavily controlled, with content considered "sensitive" routinely taken down.
The assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally last Saturday sparked widespread discussion online, with related hashtags trending high on X-like platform Weibo.
Enterprising Chinese retailers leapt into action, with the first batch of T-shirts printed and put up for sale online less than three hours after the shooting.
A cached image on Taobao, one of China's largest e-commerce sites, shows the T-shirt priced at 39 yuan ($9; £7).
A 25-year-old Taobao retailer told South China Morning Post that she received more than 2,000 orders for the T-shirts a mere three hours after she put it up for sale. Most were from China and the US.
Trump has been the source of online attention in China for years - for both positive and negative reasons.
The trade war he waged with Beijing during his presidency enraged the government and many Chinese people, but saw some support as well - among them a group of Chinese immigrants in the US who have been translating all of Trump's tweets via the X account @Trump_Chinese. The account, started in September 2018, has amassed more than 344,000 followers over the years.
There is also a popular online joke that plays on the Chinese translation of Trump -which is Chuan. He is often referred to as Chuan Jianguo which translates to "Trump - our nation builder" as a means of mocking what they see as his role in helping set China on the path to becoming a superpower.
Chinese entrepreneurs have been cashing in on the interest in him for years now.
Although the listings of T-shirts featuring Trump after the shooting have been pulled in China, online retailers there are still peddling a wide range of Trump merchandise including socks and mugs with his caricature, and red caps bearing his campaign slogan "Make America Great Again".
Retailers around the world have also capitalised on the assassination attempt.
Similar T-shirts have been seen available for sale on Lazada and Shopee, e-commerce platforms popular in South East Asia.
Lazada is owned by the Chinese technology giant Alibaba Group, which also owns Taobao.
Photographs online also show similar T-shirts for sale in the US. Some had captions added to them - one read "Leaders Never Die", while another said "Bullet Proof".
BBC
Chinese e-commerce platforms have taken down t-shirts featuring an image of Donald Trump pumping his fist into the air moments after he was shot at.
The T-shirts, which went on sale within hours of the shooting, were available on popular e-commerce sites like Taobao and JD.com.
It is unclear why the listings were taken down, but the Chinese internet is heavily controlled, with content considered "sensitive" routinely taken down.
The assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally last Saturday sparked widespread discussion online, with related hashtags trending high on X-like platform Weibo.
Enterprising Chinese retailers leapt into action, with the first batch of T-shirts printed and put up for sale online less than three hours after the shooting.
A cached image on Taobao, one of China's largest e-commerce sites, shows the T-shirt priced at 39 yuan ($9; £7).
A 25-year-old Taobao retailer told South China Morning Post that she received more than 2,000 orders for the T-shirts a mere three hours after she put it up for sale. Most were from China and the US.
Trump has been the source of online attention in China for years - for both positive and negative reasons.
The trade war he waged with Beijing during his presidency enraged the government and many Chinese people, but saw some support as well - among them a group of Chinese immigrants in the US who have been translating all of Trump's tweets via the X account @Trump_Chinese. The account, started in September 2018, has amassed more than 344,000 followers over the years.
There is also a popular online joke that plays on the Chinese translation of Trump -which is Chuan. He is often referred to as Chuan Jianguo which translates to "Trump - our nation builder" as a means of mocking what they see as his role in helping set China on the path to becoming a superpower.
Chinese entrepreneurs have been cashing in on the interest in him for years now.
Although the listings of T-shirts featuring Trump after the shooting have been pulled in China, online retailers there are still peddling a wide range of Trump merchandise including socks and mugs with his caricature, and red caps bearing his campaign slogan "Make America Great Again".
Retailers around the world have also capitalised on the assassination attempt.
Similar T-shirts have been seen available for sale on Lazada and Shopee, e-commerce platforms popular in South East Asia.
Lazada is owned by the Chinese technology giant Alibaba Group, which also owns Taobao.
Photographs online also show similar T-shirts for sale in the US. Some had captions added to them - one read "Leaders Never Die", while another said "Bullet Proof".
BBC
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Bandaged Trump gets rapturous welcome two days after assassination attempt
With a bandage strapped over one ear, Donald Trump made a triumphant return to the public eye on Monday evening at the Republican National Convention, receiving a rapturous welcome from thousands of supporters two days after an attempt on his life.
The former president entered the convention arena in Milwaukee with a fist raised and to the strains of a live performance of “God Bless the USA”.
He then slowly walked through cheering crowds of delegates - some with tears in their eyes - before greeting key political allies and members of his family, including three of his children, but not his wife Melania.
At moments, the audience pumped their fists and called out “Fight! Fight! Fight!” – echoing Trump’s cry after a bullet grazed his ear at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
The Republican nominee for November's presidential contest is riding a wave of political momentum. The Democratic Party has been questioning 81-year-old Joe Biden's candidacy following a poor debate performance last month, while Trump's team has celebrated recent legal victories.
At the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, the former president listened to about an hour of speeches while sitting next to his running mate and vice-presidential candidate Ohio Senator JD Vance, whose place on the ticket for November's election was announced only hours before.
Trump did not make a speech but at times appeared moved by the crowd of thousands. He bowed his head in prayer, and mouthed several times: “Thank you, everybody”.
Supporters and Republican delegates, some with tears in their eyes, had been waiting for hours for the former president's appearance, which was not officially listed on the schedule for the opening day of the convention, but was widely expected.
Eventful first day
Donald Trump's appearance was the highlight of an eventful first day of the Republican gathering in Wisconsin, one of six battleground states that will decide the election.
Before the convention officially opened, news broke that a federal judge had dismissed criminal charges against Trump for stashing more than 300 classified documents at his Florida resort after his first term in office.
Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, ruled that special prosecutor Jack Smith was unlawfully appointed to his role and did not have the authority to bring a 37-count indictment against the former president.
It was another victory for the Republican candidate, who now faces no prospect of another criminal trial before Americans go to the polls on 5 November.
Soon after the convention opened, nearly 2,500 Republican delegates formally nominated Trump as their presidential candidate during a roll call vote.
Vance picked as running mate
In a break with recent tradition, Trump waited until the convention to announce Mr Vance as his vice-presidential pick, and revealed his choice on his Truth Social network on Monday afternoon.
The Ohio senator and author of best-selling memoir Hillbilly Elegy reportedly heard he was selected just minutes before the announcement.
He smiled and looked slightly in awe as he walked into the crowd along with his wife Usha, and chatted with the throngs of delegates who surrounded him.
“Of the three [contenders] on the shortlist, I don’t think you could have done better,” said Greg Simpson, a Republican delegate who lives not far from Vance’s childhood home in Middletown, Ohio.
But Democrats indicated they would make an issue of Mr Vance’s anti-abortion views and connections to big tech during his career as a venture capitalist.
Democratic President Joe Biden said in a message posted on X that Mr Vance “talks a big game about working people” but would raise taxes on ordinary Americans while cutting taxes on the rich.
Speaking to reporters he called Mr Vance “a clone of Trump”.
The president also sat for an interview with NBC News, saying it was a mistake to have said it's "time to put Trump in the bullseye" during a call with donors days before his political rival was nearly killed.
But he blamed his opponent for ratcheting up political rhetoric for his denials of the 2020 election result, promises to pardon the rioters who attacked the Capitol on 6 January 2021 and for joking about a serious assault on the husband of Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.
As Trump remains in Milwaukee and prepares to deliver his closing night convention speech on Thursday night, Mr Biden has resumed his election campaign, flying to Las Vegas for events after a brief pause in rallies following the attack.
Economic theme overshadowed by rally attack
The first day of the convention was filled with speeches from Republican officials and ordinary supporters selected to bolster day’s theme, the economy.
Bobby Bartels, a union leader from New York, told the crowd: “Out of control inflation is squeezing budgets and both violent crime and drug epidemics are pushing people out of our cities, all while Democrats do nothing.”
“That’s why this union Democrat will be voting Trump,” he said.
But the assassination attempt was still fresh in the minds of delegates who had assembled from across the US and its territories.
“Saturday scared me,” said Florida delegate Joe Mullins said. “We’d be in a whole different world if not for half an inch. I had tears in my eyes, and I haven’t cried like that since I lost my mother.”
South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, who was one of the names on Trump’s vice-presidential shortlist, told the crowd: "If you didn't believe in miracles before Saturday, you better be believing right now."
"On Saturday, the devil came to Pennsylvania with a rifle, but an American lion got back up on his feet and he roared,” he said.
BBC
With a bandage strapped over one ear, Donald Trump made a triumphant return to the public eye on Monday evening at the Republican National Convention, receiving a rapturous welcome from thousands of supporters two days after an attempt on his life.
The former president entered the convention arena in Milwaukee with a fist raised and to the strains of a live performance of “God Bless the USA”.
He then slowly walked through cheering crowds of delegates - some with tears in their eyes - before greeting key political allies and members of his family, including three of his children, but not his wife Melania.
At moments, the audience pumped their fists and called out “Fight! Fight! Fight!” – echoing Trump’s cry after a bullet grazed his ear at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
The Republican nominee for November's presidential contest is riding a wave of political momentum. The Democratic Party has been questioning 81-year-old Joe Biden's candidacy following a poor debate performance last month, while Trump's team has celebrated recent legal victories.
At the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, the former president listened to about an hour of speeches while sitting next to his running mate and vice-presidential candidate Ohio Senator JD Vance, whose place on the ticket for November's election was announced only hours before.
Trump did not make a speech but at times appeared moved by the crowd of thousands. He bowed his head in prayer, and mouthed several times: “Thank you, everybody”.
Supporters and Republican delegates, some with tears in their eyes, had been waiting for hours for the former president's appearance, which was not officially listed on the schedule for the opening day of the convention, but was widely expected.
Eventful first day
Donald Trump's appearance was the highlight of an eventful first day of the Republican gathering in Wisconsin, one of six battleground states that will decide the election.
Before the convention officially opened, news broke that a federal judge had dismissed criminal charges against Trump for stashing more than 300 classified documents at his Florida resort after his first term in office.
Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, ruled that special prosecutor Jack Smith was unlawfully appointed to his role and did not have the authority to bring a 37-count indictment against the former president.
It was another victory for the Republican candidate, who now faces no prospect of another criminal trial before Americans go to the polls on 5 November.
Soon after the convention opened, nearly 2,500 Republican delegates formally nominated Trump as their presidential candidate during a roll call vote.
Vance picked as running mate
In a break with recent tradition, Trump waited until the convention to announce Mr Vance as his vice-presidential pick, and revealed his choice on his Truth Social network on Monday afternoon.
The Ohio senator and author of best-selling memoir Hillbilly Elegy reportedly heard he was selected just minutes before the announcement.
He smiled and looked slightly in awe as he walked into the crowd along with his wife Usha, and chatted with the throngs of delegates who surrounded him.
“Of the three [contenders] on the shortlist, I don’t think you could have done better,” said Greg Simpson, a Republican delegate who lives not far from Vance’s childhood home in Middletown, Ohio.
But Democrats indicated they would make an issue of Mr Vance’s anti-abortion views and connections to big tech during his career as a venture capitalist.
Democratic President Joe Biden said in a message posted on X that Mr Vance “talks a big game about working people” but would raise taxes on ordinary Americans while cutting taxes on the rich.
Speaking to reporters he called Mr Vance “a clone of Trump”.
The president also sat for an interview with NBC News, saying it was a mistake to have said it's "time to put Trump in the bullseye" during a call with donors days before his political rival was nearly killed.
But he blamed his opponent for ratcheting up political rhetoric for his denials of the 2020 election result, promises to pardon the rioters who attacked the Capitol on 6 January 2021 and for joking about a serious assault on the husband of Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.
As Trump remains in Milwaukee and prepares to deliver his closing night convention speech on Thursday night, Mr Biden has resumed his election campaign, flying to Las Vegas for events after a brief pause in rallies following the attack.
Economic theme overshadowed by rally attack
The first day of the convention was filled with speeches from Republican officials and ordinary supporters selected to bolster day’s theme, the economy.
Bobby Bartels, a union leader from New York, told the crowd: “Out of control inflation is squeezing budgets and both violent crime and drug epidemics are pushing people out of our cities, all while Democrats do nothing.”
“That’s why this union Democrat will be voting Trump,” he said.
But the assassination attempt was still fresh in the minds of delegates who had assembled from across the US and its territories.
“Saturday scared me,” said Florida delegate Joe Mullins said. “We’d be in a whole different world if not for half an inch. I had tears in my eyes, and I haven’t cried like that since I lost my mother.”
South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, who was one of the names on Trump’s vice-presidential shortlist, told the crowd: "If you didn't believe in miracles before Saturday, you better be believing right now."
"On Saturday, the devil came to Pennsylvania with a rifle, but an American lion got back up on his feet and he roared,” he said.
BBC
pakistani pride
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And the masses jump on it as expected.
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guy who got shot during Trump rally!
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Trump security boosted weeks ago over Iran plot to kill him
Protection for Donald Trump was boosted several weeks ago after US authorities learned of an Iranian plot to kill him, according to national security officials.
Officials say there is no known connection between the alleged Iranian plot and the assassination attempt on the former president on Saturday in Pennsylvania.
However, the disclosure that security had been tightened raises further questions over how Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was able to climb a building and get close enough to fire at Trump.
The US Secret Service and the Trump campaign were notified of the Iranian threat, and security was increased as a result, according to a US national security official.
Intelligence sources told CBS, the BBC's US news partner, that the Secret Service bolstered security in June in response to the Iranian threat. This included extra counter-assault and counter-sniper agents, drones and robotic dogs.
CBS reported that the details of a potential Iranian operation were obtained through "human source intelligence", and came amid a notable increase in Iranian chatter regarding attacks against Trump.
Trump and officials including his former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, have faced threats from Tehran since ordering the drone strike assassination of Qassim Soleimani, the commander of Iran's Quds force, in Iraq in 2020.
The Iranian mission at the United Nations called the report "unsubstantiated and malicious", adding that Trump was "a criminal who must be prosecuted and punished in a court of law".
www.bbc.com
Protection for Donald Trump was boosted several weeks ago after US authorities learned of an Iranian plot to kill him, according to national security officials.
Officials say there is no known connection between the alleged Iranian plot and the assassination attempt on the former president on Saturday in Pennsylvania.
However, the disclosure that security had been tightened raises further questions over how Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was able to climb a building and get close enough to fire at Trump.
The US Secret Service and the Trump campaign were notified of the Iranian threat, and security was increased as a result, according to a US national security official.
Intelligence sources told CBS, the BBC's US news partner, that the Secret Service bolstered security in June in response to the Iranian threat. This included extra counter-assault and counter-sniper agents, drones and robotic dogs.
CBS reported that the details of a potential Iranian operation were obtained through "human source intelligence", and came amid a notable increase in Iranian chatter regarding attacks against Trump.
Trump and officials including his former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, have faced threats from Tehran since ordering the drone strike assassination of Qassim Soleimani, the commander of Iran's Quds force, in Iraq in 2020.
The Iranian mission at the United Nations called the report "unsubstantiated and malicious", adding that Trump was "a criminal who must be prosecuted and punished in a court of law".
Trump security boosted weeks ago over Iran plot to kill him
There is no known link between the plot and Saturday's attack, but the disclosure raises questions over how a gunman got so close.
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That was a seriously close call. Few millimeters on the right and the news would have been different.
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Homeland Security inspector general investigates Secret Service handling of security at Trump rally
The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general says it has opened up an investigation into the U.S. Secret Service’s handling of security for former President Donald Trump on the day a gunman tried to assassinate him at a Pennsylvania rally.
In a brief notice posted to the inspector general’s website, the agency said the objective of the probe is to “Evaluate the United States Secret Service’s (Secret Service) process for securing former President Trump’s July 13, 2024 campaign event.”
There was no date given for when the investigation was launched. The notice was among a long list of ongoing cases that the inspector general’s office is pursuing.
President Joe Biden already had directed an independent review of the security at the rally.
The shooting has raised questions about how the gunman was able to climb onto a roof with a clear line of site to the former president, who was injured.
The 20-year-old shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was able to get within 135 meters (157 yards) of the stage where the Republican former president was speaking when he opened fire. That’s despite a threat on Trump’s life from Iran leading to additional security for the former president in the days before the Saturday rally.
A bloodied Trump was quickly escorted off the stage by Secret Service agents, and agency snipers killed the shooter. Trump said the upper part of his right ear was pierced in the shooting. One rallygoer was killed, and two others critically wounded.
Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle said the agency understands the importance of the review ordered by Biden and would fully participate in it as well as with congressional committees looking into the shooting. She said the agency was working to understand how Saturday’s shooting happened and to make sure something like it never does again.
The agency of roughly 7,800 staff members is responsible for protecting presidents, vice presidents, their families, former presidents, their spouses and their minor children under the age of 16 and a few other high-level Cabinet officials such as the Homeland Security secretary.
Homeland Security inspector general investigates Secret Service handling of security at Trump rally
The Department of Homeland Security's inspector general says its investigating the U.S. Secret Service’s handling of security for former President Donald Trump on the day a gunman tried to assassinate him at a Pennsylvania rally.
apnews.com
KingKhanWC
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Something out of a low budget movie . People with your fired signs in the background, never seen before & shooter allowed to climb & shoot while others were pointing him out . Lol
Killing Trump was to cause more division in America. Now they have given him a warning .
Interesting to see if he changes his stance on Russia now . Putin has won a long time ago , it’s only a matter of time before Ukraine accepts this .
America as a society & nation loves violence & killing . The world understands this , but hope they’d just kill each other & leave everyone else alone .
Killing Trump was to cause more division in America. Now they have given him a warning .
Interesting to see if he changes his stance on Russia now . Putin has won a long time ago , it’s only a matter of time before Ukraine accepts this .
America as a society & nation loves violence & killing . The world understands this , but hope they’d just kill each other & leave everyone else alone .
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Biden renews call for assault rifle ban
Joe Biden has renewed a call for Congress to ban assault rifles, including the model that was used in the failed assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
Trump's ear was grazed by a bullet after a gunman shot at him from a nearby rooftop during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
“An AR-15 was used in the shooting of Donald Trump. This was the assault weapon that killed so many others, including children. It’s time to outlaw them,” Mr Biden told the audience at a convention in Las Vegas.
His demand came as he returned to the campaign trail for the first time since the attack.
For several days following the shooting, the Biden campaign had been on pause. Verbal attacks had been halted, television ads pulled and a message of unity was pushed by many prominent Democrats.
Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Biden continued in that vein, lamenting how “heated” politics has become. But he went on to roundly criticise Trump throughout the speech at the convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP), a prominent civil rights group.
“Just because our politics are very divided doesn’t mean we should stop telling the truth. Who you are, what you’ve done, what you will do - that’s fair game,” he said.
"Let me say it again because Trump is lying like hell about it,” he told the conference hall of primarily black voters.
“Black unemployment hit a record low under the Biden-Harris administration," the president added. Statistics show that his government reached the record low unemployment rate for Black or African Americans in 2023, at 4.8%.
Gun rights are an issue Mr Biden has frequently campaigned on.
In 1994, he was instrumental in passing an assault weapons ban, which expired in 2004. He referenced that legislation during his speech, saying "I've done it before, I'll do it again".
In 2022, during his first term as president, Mr Biden signed into law the most significant gun safety legislation in more than two decades, which included enhanced background checks for gun buyers and other protections.
But he has repeatedly come up against strong opposition from Republicans to an assault weapons ban.
The president's return to the campaign trail came as the Republican National Convention (RNC) closed out its second day on Tuesday, with a line-up of speakers - including former presidential nominee rivals Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis - roundly uniting behind Trump.
At a side event hosted by the gun rights group, US Concealed Carry Association, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign said Donald Trump would safeguard gun rights by appointing pro-gun judges if he is elected in November.
"We'll see a continuation of supporting and defending the Second Amendment, and really where that comes into play is the judiciary," Chris LaCivita told attendees, according to Reuters news agency.
Donald Trump has already said that he would unravel all of Mr Biden’s new gun rules if elected in November, a stance that shows no sign of changing even following Saturday’s attempt on his life.
Authorities are yet to land on the motive of gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was able to shoot at Trump after climbing onto the roof of a building 130m (426ft) from where he was speaking.
An independent review of the Secret Service’s handling of the shooting is underway and Republican leaders in Congress have also announced an investigation.
Trump shooting: Biden renews call for assault rifle ban
The US president resumes his campaign with criticism of Donald Trump and says the weapon used against him should be "outlawed".
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Cellphone and detonator found on rooftop near suspected Trump shooter
A picture obtained by a Pittsburgh-area TV station showed a cellphone and detonator carried by the gunman who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump at the Butler county show grounds in western Pennsylvania last Saturday.
The items were shown on the rooftop from which Thomas Matthew Crooks used an AR-15-style rifle to fire on the former president and Republican presidential nominee.
Trump suffered an injury to his right ear. One rally-goer was killed and two injured.
The 20-year-old gunman was shot dead by security officers.
In a febrile and partisan national atmosphere, the shooting appears to have boosted Trump’s image in his campaign against Joe Biden.
The Democratic president has called for a cooling of political invective. At the Republican national convention in Milwaukee, Trump has worn a prominent bandage on his ear as speakers have celebrated his narrow escape.
WPXI, an NBC-affiliate station, obtained and reported the picture of Crooks’s phone and detonator on Tuesday.
The gunman’s motives remained unclear, though officials said they had been able to access his phone. Sources told the Washington Post that “cracking the phone did not crack the case”, though it offered leads to pursue.
Crooks’s car was found to contain a metal box of explosives connected to a receiver, CNN reported, adding that investigators were considering the idea Crooks intended to create a distraction during the shooting.
WPXI also reported on continuing confusion over why the gunman was not confronted before he fired on Trump.
Crooks was seen by witnesses and by law enforcement but not conclusively confronted.
Kimberly Cheatle, the director of the US Secret Service, has said local police officers were inside the building from which Crooks shot.
“We did share support for that particular site and the Secret Service was responsible for the inner perimeter,” Cheatle told ABC News. “And then we sought assistance from our local counterparts for the outer perimeter.
“There was local police in that building – there was local police in the area that were responsible for the outer perimeter of the building.”
WPXI reported that that local police were never stationed in the building concerned.
Tom Knight, the Butler township manager, said: “So the building was outside the event area and there was conversations about the logistical coverage for the building, what the building had for access points and what access points could be controlled.”
WPXI said sources said Crooks was still on the ground when Trump began speaking.
Kinght said there was then “a radio transmission indicating that there was a suspicious individual on the rooftop, [and it] was my understanding [that] was our officers’ first notification to begin moving towards that building.
“Two of the officers went to what appeared to be the lowest point from ground to roof. One of the officers actually boosted the second officer up high enough for him to grab hold of the roof. He did in fact see an individual on the roof with a weapon.”
Crooks pointed his rifle at the officer, Knight said, as the officer hung on to the roof with both hands, unable to reach his radio or his own weapon.
The officer “lost his own grip and fell approximately eight feet to the ground”.
Shortly after that, Crooks opened fire.
Cellphone and detonator found on rooftop near suspected Trump shooter
Items seen in picture obtained by Pittsburgh-area TV station while motives remain unclear
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Trump gunman seen as threat before attack but was lost in crowd
Donald Trump's would-be assassin was flagged as "suspicious" by the Secret Service up to an hour before he began shooting but was lost in the crowd, lawmakers have been told by law enforcement officials.
In two closed briefings to lawmakers in the House and Senate on Wednesday, law enforcement officials, including the Secret Service, shared limited new information about security and the man who opened fire at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
Wyoming Senator John Barrasso said the Secret Service told them they had spotted the attacker one hour before the attack, but then lost sight of him.
“He was identified as a character of suspicion because [he had] a rangefinder as well as a backpack. And this was over an hour before the shooting actually occurred,” he told Fox News.
“So, you would think over the course of that hour, you shouldn't lose sight of the individual."
A rangefinder is an instrument that can be used to help measure the distance to a target.
It was also revealed during the briefings that the gunman had visited the site of the attack, the Butler County fairgrounds, at least once in the days before the assassination attempt and had previously searched on his phone for symptoms of a depressive disorder, an official familiar with the briefing told CBS News, the BBC's news partner.
The attacker had also used his phone to search for images of both Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. FBI Director Wray told lawmakers on the call that more than 200 interviews had already been conducted and 14,000 images reviewed.
However, multiple Republican senators criticised the lack of transparency from investigators on their call and expressed outrage that Trump was allowed to take the stage even after a threat was identified.
"I am appalled to learn that the Secret Service knew about a threat prior to President Trump walking on stage," tweeted Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee.
A law enforcement official involved in the investigation told CBS that a sniper from a local tactical team deployed to assist the Secret Service took a picture of the gunman looking through the rangefinder, and immediately radioed to a command post to report the sighting.
According to ABC News and other US outlets, the 20-year-old gunman was spotted again on the roof of a building 20 minutes before the attack began, officials revealed.
He was killed by Secret Service snipers within 26 seconds of opening fire on Trump.
Multiple senators who participated in the call complained that investigators did not answer their questions and demanded the resignation of Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle.
"The egregious security failures and lack of transparency around the assassination attempt on President Trump demand an immediate change of leadership at the Secret Service," tweeted Utah Senator Mike Lee.
Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson called the briefing to lawmakers "unbelievably uninformative" and said investigators only took four questions from lawmakers.
Other senior Republicans also called for Ms Cheatle to resign. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said after the call that "the nation deserves answers and accountability" and a change in leadership at Secret Service would be "an important step in that direction".
House lawmakers similarly were briefed on Wednesday by law enforcement about security and what led up to the Saturday shooting.
Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson also called for Ms Cheatle to quit. He said he plans to open an investigation in the House.
"It'll be comprised of Republicans and Democrats to get down to the bottom of this quickly, so the American people can get the answers that they deserve," he told Fox News.
FBI Director Chris Wray, who participated in the calls, told lawmakers that no motive has yet been identified for the gunman.
Ms Cheatle, a 27-year veteran of the Secret Service, is due to testify next week to the Republican-controlled House Oversight Committee and House Homeland Security Committee.
She has said the agency relied on local police to secure the building where the gunman climbed to the roof and perched his rifle.
A local officer came face-to-face with the gunman on the roof moments before the attack, Butler Township Manager Tom Knights told CBS.
The officer was searching after reports about a suspicious person. He was hoisted on to the roof by another officer and saw the suspect pointing a rifle directly at him, Mr Knights said.
The officer was in a "defenceless" position and let go, falling to the ground. He then alerted others to the gunman. Moments later, the shooting started.
The attack is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general, and President Biden said he would direct an independent review be opened.
BBC
Donald Trump's would-be assassin was flagged as "suspicious" by the Secret Service up to an hour before he began shooting but was lost in the crowd, lawmakers have been told by law enforcement officials.
In two closed briefings to lawmakers in the House and Senate on Wednesday, law enforcement officials, including the Secret Service, shared limited new information about security and the man who opened fire at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
Wyoming Senator John Barrasso said the Secret Service told them they had spotted the attacker one hour before the attack, but then lost sight of him.
“He was identified as a character of suspicion because [he had] a rangefinder as well as a backpack. And this was over an hour before the shooting actually occurred,” he told Fox News.
“So, you would think over the course of that hour, you shouldn't lose sight of the individual."
A rangefinder is an instrument that can be used to help measure the distance to a target.
It was also revealed during the briefings that the gunman had visited the site of the attack, the Butler County fairgrounds, at least once in the days before the assassination attempt and had previously searched on his phone for symptoms of a depressive disorder, an official familiar with the briefing told CBS News, the BBC's news partner.
The attacker had also used his phone to search for images of both Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. FBI Director Wray told lawmakers on the call that more than 200 interviews had already been conducted and 14,000 images reviewed.
However, multiple Republican senators criticised the lack of transparency from investigators on their call and expressed outrage that Trump was allowed to take the stage even after a threat was identified.
"I am appalled to learn that the Secret Service knew about a threat prior to President Trump walking on stage," tweeted Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee.
A law enforcement official involved in the investigation told CBS that a sniper from a local tactical team deployed to assist the Secret Service took a picture of the gunman looking through the rangefinder, and immediately radioed to a command post to report the sighting.
According to ABC News and other US outlets, the 20-year-old gunman was spotted again on the roof of a building 20 minutes before the attack began, officials revealed.
He was killed by Secret Service snipers within 26 seconds of opening fire on Trump.
Multiple senators who participated in the call complained that investigators did not answer their questions and demanded the resignation of Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle.
"The egregious security failures and lack of transparency around the assassination attempt on President Trump demand an immediate change of leadership at the Secret Service," tweeted Utah Senator Mike Lee.
Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson called the briefing to lawmakers "unbelievably uninformative" and said investigators only took four questions from lawmakers.
Other senior Republicans also called for Ms Cheatle to resign. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said after the call that "the nation deserves answers and accountability" and a change in leadership at Secret Service would be "an important step in that direction".
House lawmakers similarly were briefed on Wednesday by law enforcement about security and what led up to the Saturday shooting.
Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson also called for Ms Cheatle to quit. He said he plans to open an investigation in the House.
"It'll be comprised of Republicans and Democrats to get down to the bottom of this quickly, so the American people can get the answers that they deserve," he told Fox News.
FBI Director Chris Wray, who participated in the calls, told lawmakers that no motive has yet been identified for the gunman.
Ms Cheatle, a 27-year veteran of the Secret Service, is due to testify next week to the Republican-controlled House Oversight Committee and House Homeland Security Committee.
She has said the agency relied on local police to secure the building where the gunman climbed to the roof and perched his rifle.
A local officer came face-to-face with the gunman on the roof moments before the attack, Butler Township Manager Tom Knights told CBS.
The officer was searching after reports about a suspicious person. He was hoisted on to the roof by another officer and saw the suspect pointing a rifle directly at him, Mr Knights said.
The officer was in a "defenceless" position and let go, falling to the ground. He then alerted others to the gunman. Moments later, the shooting started.
The attack is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general, and President Biden said he would direct an independent review be opened.
BBC
Savak
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Am surprised at the lack of outrage and pressure, criminal investigation on the Whitehouse, Secret Service leadership over this assassination attempt, this was very clearly an inside job.
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Ex-Obama adviser says Biden 'not in a position to win this race any longer' after Trump assassination attempt
Ex-Obama adviser David Axelrod warned Wednesday that President Biden is no longer "in the position to win" in the wake of the assassination attempt against former President Trump on Saturday.
"This is inexorable and I don‘t say this with any pleasure at all because I worked with Joe Biden. He‘s served this country well for most of his life," Axelrod said on CNN live at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
"But this is not the coda that he wants on his career. And I think that’s what people are telling him, that he can help improve the chances of winning a race that he says is existential, but the way he has to do it is to exit," Axelrod continued.
"There will be a discussion about whether it‘s the vice president [Kamala Harris] or not [as his replacement]. She certainly is the likely candidate, maybe not the certain candidate. But what is certain, is he is not in a position to win this race any longer."
Axelrod argued that something "crystallized" following the assassination attempt against Trump on Saturday, referencing the iconic photo captured seconds after Trump was hit and he raised his fist to the crowd with blood streaked down his face.
"At this point, it's a question about him and whether he has any chance in this race and something has happened in the last several weeks between the debate, the events of Saturday, the assassination attempt and the way former President Trump reacted to it with the iconic photo. It's crystallized something that has sent the numbers spiraling…," Axelrod said.
Some of Biden's longest and staunchest allies are continuing to call on him to withdraw from the race after his debate debacle last month and subsequent interviews, which have done little to reassure concerned Democrats. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a powerful voice in the party, has reportedly told Biden he cannot win, and California Rep. Adam Schiff publicly urged him to step aside on Wednesday.
Axelrod said that it's time for Biden to acknowledge that "the polling is getting worse" and that the large donations to his campaign have "dried up" as prominent Democratic donors turn their attention to the House and the Senate, with the White House out of reach in their view as long as Biden remains at the top of the ticket.
Ex-Obama adviser says Biden 'not in a position to win this race any longer' after Trump assassination attempt
Former Obama adviser and CNN political analyst David Axelrod urged President Biden to step down to spare his party from suffering a major defeat in November.
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Father of Trump gunman called police about son before attack
The father of the gunman who tried to assassinate Donald Trump called police before the Saturday shooting because he was concerned about his son, according to media reports.
The call is one of a number of red flags revealed in recent days that law enforcement was notified about before gunshots rang out at Trump's Pennsylvania rally on Saturday. Law enforcement - specifically the US Secret Service - has faced mounting questions about security with calls by some lawmakers that the head of the agency should resign.
Matthew Crooks' father called police because he was worried about his son and his whereabouts, a law enforcement source told the BBC's news partner CBS. It's unclear when the call was made but it was before the shooting.
It is unclear what his father told police. Fox News reported that Crooks’ parents, Mary and Matthew, told officers “they were worried” about their son and that he had disappeared without any advance notice.
His parents are both co-operating in the investigation, the FBI has said.
Law enforcement sources have told US media that the gunman had conducted online searches into a major depressive disorder and the Democratic National Convention scheduled for August.
He had also saved images of Trump, President Joe Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Chris Wray and a member of the British Royal Family, according to reports from the Washington Post and Associated Press.
Investigators are still trying to trace a potential motive for the 20-year-old gunman, who was shot dead by Secret Service snipers after opening fire. His attack left one member of the audience dead and several others wounded.
The preliminary investigation has found that Crooks climbed onto the roof of a nearby building outside the rally by climbing onto an air conditioning unit. The units were located next to the building, the unnamed official told CBS.
A counter sniper flagged a suspicious man using a rangefinder to the US Secret Service some 20 minutes before the attack started, according to members of Congress briefed by law enforcement this week.
A rangefinder is an instrument that can be used to help measure the distance to a target.
Local police initially spotted the gunman, who was acting strangely and had a backpack, about an hour before the shooting. They lost him in the crowd, but he was spotted again by the sniper.
Officers were alerted by radio about a suspicious person and searched the area where Crooks had perched his rifle on a rooftop.
Finding no one, one officer decided to check the roof. The officer was hoisted on to the roof by a colleague and came face-to-face with the suspect, Butler Township Manager Tom Knights told CBS.
The suspect pointed a rifle at him and the officer, who was in a "defenceless" position, let go from the roof and fell to the ground.
He then alerted others to the gunman. Moments later, the shooting started.
No weapon was spotted by law enforcement when Crooks was seen in the crowd and officials are trying to determine how no one saw his AR-style rifle.
Investigators are examining various theories, including that he had stashed it earlier in the day near the air conditioning units or that he was somehow able to smuggle it inside his backpack.
Retracing his footsteps in the hours before the attack will be key to understanding how the shooting unfolded, officials say.
Officials told CBS that the semi-automatic rifle he used had been legally purchased by Crook's father in 2013.
When the gunman was found, he was carrying a remote detonator and his car contained explosives, law enforcement sources have told US media.
It continues to remain unclear what motivated the attack, and whether any political ideology is to blame.
A timeline leading up to Trump shooting
The father of the gunman who tried to assassinate Donald Trump called police before the Saturday shooting because he was concerned about his son, according to media reports.
The call is one of a number of red flags revealed in recent days that law enforcement was notified about before gunshots rang out at Trump's Pennsylvania rally on Saturday. Law enforcement - specifically the US Secret Service - has faced mounting questions about security with calls by some lawmakers that the head of the agency should resign.
Matthew Crooks' father called police because he was worried about his son and his whereabouts, a law enforcement source told the BBC's news partner CBS. It's unclear when the call was made but it was before the shooting.
It is unclear what his father told police. Fox News reported that Crooks’ parents, Mary and Matthew, told officers “they were worried” about their son and that he had disappeared without any advance notice.
His parents are both co-operating in the investigation, the FBI has said.
Law enforcement sources have told US media that the gunman had conducted online searches into a major depressive disorder and the Democratic National Convention scheduled for August.
He had also saved images of Trump, President Joe Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Chris Wray and a member of the British Royal Family, according to reports from the Washington Post and Associated Press.
Investigators are still trying to trace a potential motive for the 20-year-old gunman, who was shot dead by Secret Service snipers after opening fire. His attack left one member of the audience dead and several others wounded.
The preliminary investigation has found that Crooks climbed onto the roof of a nearby building outside the rally by climbing onto an air conditioning unit. The units were located next to the building, the unnamed official told CBS.
A counter sniper flagged a suspicious man using a rangefinder to the US Secret Service some 20 minutes before the attack started, according to members of Congress briefed by law enforcement this week.
A rangefinder is an instrument that can be used to help measure the distance to a target.
Local police initially spotted the gunman, who was acting strangely and had a backpack, about an hour before the shooting. They lost him in the crowd, but he was spotted again by the sniper.
Officers were alerted by radio about a suspicious person and searched the area where Crooks had perched his rifle on a rooftop.
Finding no one, one officer decided to check the roof. The officer was hoisted on to the roof by a colleague and came face-to-face with the suspect, Butler Township Manager Tom Knights told CBS.
The suspect pointed a rifle at him and the officer, who was in a "defenceless" position, let go from the roof and fell to the ground.
He then alerted others to the gunman. Moments later, the shooting started.
No weapon was spotted by law enforcement when Crooks was seen in the crowd and officials are trying to determine how no one saw his AR-style rifle.
Investigators are examining various theories, including that he had stashed it earlier in the day near the air conditioning units or that he was somehow able to smuggle it inside his backpack.
Retracing his footsteps in the hours before the attack will be key to understanding how the shooting unfolded, officials say.
Officials told CBS that the semi-automatic rifle he used had been legally purchased by Crook's father in 2013.
When the gunman was found, he was carrying a remote detonator and his car contained explosives, law enforcement sources have told US media.
It continues to remain unclear what motivated the attack, and whether any political ideology is to blame.
A timeline leading up to Trump shooting
- Around 17:11: local officers spot Crooks and notify other law enforcement but then lose track of him, according to briefings between police and lawmakers
- 17:45: A counter sniper officer calls in with a report and a photo of a man - who turned out to be Crooks - acting suspiciously around a building near the rally, according to local media reports
- 17:52: US Secret Service become aware of a suspicious person with a rangefinder on the ground, according to sources familiar with the briefing to lawmakers
- 18:03: Trump begins speaking at the rally
- Around 18:09: Rallygoers spot Crooks on the roof and attempt to tell law enforcement
- 18:11: Crooks opens fire. He is fatally shot by Secret Service counter snipers 26 seconds later
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Trump recounts shooting in marathon Republican convention speech
Donald Trump told the Republican National Convention he was "not supposed to be here," reflecting during a marathon speech on a recent attempt on his life.
His address on Thursday night came just five days after his ear was pierced by bullets fired at him by a would-be assassin during a rally in Pennsylvania.
The speech, delivered to a hushed crowd, struck in parts a sombre tone and only once mentioned the name of his rival, President Joe Biden.
His wife Melania also made a rare public appearance, joining her husband on stage with other family members.
During his 90-minute speech, there were familiar targets of Trump attacks such as undocumented migrants, Biden foreign policy and China.
But the start was very different, as he recalled the details of last Saturday's attack in Pennsylvania, describing how a bullet narrowly missed his head and grazed his ear while he turned his head to present a chart of immigration figures.
One man, Corey Comperatore, was killed in the attack, after which the suspected gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot dead by authorities.
Mr Comperatore was honoured at a memorial service on Thursday, as major questions continue to be asked over security lapses at the event.
Trump praised the Secret Service agents who shielded him after the shots were fired, and said he was only alive to tell the story "by the grace of almighty God".
Observers said his speech was relatively subdued, in spite of the overall bombast of the evening, which included a shower of balloons and a crowd-rallying appearance from wrestling legend Hulk Hogan.
Trump had pledged to re-write his address in the wake of the attack, after which he had what he called a "very cordial" conversation with Mr Biden. The finished item was critical of the current president's policies, although he spoke his adversary's name only once during his range of attacks.
He again promised to curb illegal immigration, vowing the "largest deportation operation in the history of our country", and said he would "end every single international crisis that the current administration has created".
Trump also said he would create a version of Israel's Iron Dome missile defence system, and pledged to restore "peace, stability and harmony all throughout the world" - though he gave few details on how.
The speech concluded with a rare on-stage appearance from Trump's wife, other family members and prominent supporters. It capped off a triumphant four-day convention for Trump, during which he formally became the Republicans' nominee for president and unveiled his running mate for November.
In his debut speech in the role, that man - 39-year-old Ohio Senator JD Vance - told the convention that he was a "working-class" boy, and insisted that Trump's policies would help left-behind voters.
Among the others who made notable appearances at the convention were Mr Vance's wife Usha, as well as Trump's daughter-in-law Lara and his teenage granddaughter Kai, who gave her first public remarks.
And Trump's former rivals for the Republican nomination, Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, came together to voice their support for him.
Their message of party solidarity was echoed in Thursday's speech by Trump, who also spoke of working for "all of America" if he won back the White House.
In addition to the applause of his supporters at the convention, Trump has been buoyed by polling on Thursday from the BBC's US partner, CBS News.
This has suggested that Trump has assumed his clearest poll lead of the campaign so far, and is riding five points ahead of his rival, Mr Biden.
The numbers appear to further indicate that Trump's conviction last month in a New York criminal hush-money case has not dented his appeal. Pundits have suggested his survival of the assassination attempt could strengthen his image.
Trump received further good news on Monday when he learned that a Florida judge had thrown out another case against him relating to his retention of classified documents after leaving the White House in 2021. Prosecutors are likely to appeal.
Meanwhile, Mr Biden has endured a difficult week, and is currently self-isolating with a bout of Covid-19. His re-election campaign is under further scrutiny amid reported concerns about the presidential election from Barack Obama.
Mr Obama is reported by the Washington Post to have privately stated that Biden's chances of beating Trump in November are greatly diminished. Spokespeople for the former president have declined to comment.
It follows reports that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the two most senior Democrats in Congress, Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer, have told Mr Biden of their own concerns. All have rejected the reports.
Mr Biden's campaign has dismissed the reported concerns of top Democrats, insisting he will remain the nominee.
Trump recounts shooting in marathon Republican convention speech
Donald Trump told supporters he was "not supposed to be here," reflecting on a recent attempt on his life.
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Trump in Michigan to host first rally since Butler shooting
Donald Trump will host his first rally in public since a gunman shot him in the ear in an attempt to take his life last week at an event in Pennsylvania.
Trump is scheduled to address a crowd in Grand Rapids, Michigan around 17:00 EST (22:00 BST) on Saturday.
It is one of several campaign stops the former president has made to the key battleground state as polls show him in a close race against President Joe Biden.
The rally comes on the heels of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where Trump officially accepted his party’s presidential nomination and delivered his first public address since the assassination attempt.
The rally also marks the first time Trump will appear on the campaign trail with his vice-presidential pick, Ohio Sen. JD Vance.
Mr Biden, meanwhile, has had to pause campaign events after testing positive for COVID-19. He continues to resist growing calls from members of his own party to drop out of the race due to concerns about his age and cognitive abilities.
Trump has for the most part stayed silent about the drama rocking the Democratic Party, focusing on attacks on Mr Biden’s administration in a speech he gave at the Republican convention.
During the hour and a half speech, he discussed deporting migrants en masse and inflation concerns while also recounting the attack 13 July that nearly killed him in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“I'm not supposed to be here," he told the crowd, adding: "I had God on my side”.
Trump's campaign also announced that it plans to hold its next rally in Charlotte, North Carolina on 24 July at the Bojangles Coliseum.
Security will be tight at the Grand Rapids rally in the aftermath of the Butler rally, experts told the BBC.
Investigators have still yet to name a motive for the 20-year-old gunman who shot Trump and was later killed by Secret Service agents.
The agency has faced intense scrutiny over how the gunman was able to fire from a building nearby after rallygoers pointed him out to police.
Because the Grand Rapids event is indoors, it will be much easier to secure than the Butler rally, which was outside, former Secret Service agent Jason Russell told the BBC.
There will be metal detectors that rallygoers will walk through, while military personnel will search the whole building beforehand, Mr Russell said.
Trump will likely not be seen until he actually takes the stage, with many of his Secret Service staff in tow.
“You’ll have a pretty, pretty significant number of agents on site,” Mr Russell said.
Trump hosts Michigan rally - his first since Butler shooting
Trump is scheduled to address a crowd in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Saturday evening.
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Trump tells thousands at Michigan rally he 'took a bullet for democracy'
Donald Trump has told a rally in Michigan that he "took a bullet for democracy" when an attempt was made on his life last week.
Attended by thousands, it was Trump's first rally with new running mate JD Vance - and first since he survived the assassination attempt.
He told a packed arena in Grand Rapids that Democrats have accused him of being "a threat to democracy" and, to huge applause, said he was ready to "take back the White House".
An investigation is under way into the shooting last weekend, which left Trump with a wounded ear - though the prominent white bandage he wore throughout the Republican National Convention had on Saturday been replaced by a discreet flesh-toned plaster.
Trump was not scheduled to address the crowd until 17:00 EST (21:00 GMT) but by 13:00, a line stretched for about three miles (4.8km) outside the 12,000-person Van Del Arena.
Many of those at the event, in the battleground state of Michigan, told the BBC that the assassination attempt - which killed an audience member and wounded two others - would not stop them from showing support for the Republican presidential nominee.
Some said they came precisely because of the shooting.
Unlike that rally, held in Butler, Pennsylvania, the Grand Rapids event was indoors - allowing security officers to carefully monitor who entered and to cut off threats from outside the rally.
In his speech, Trump thanked the “thousands and thousands” of people who came to see him “almost exactly” a week after the assassination attempt.
“I stand before you only by the grace of almighty God,” he said, repeating his belief that divine intervention saved him from being killed.
Wendy and Steve Upcott of Clarkston, Michigan, were among the thousands who drove from all over the state to see him, many reassured by the increased security.
The couple said their 26-year-old daughter begged them not to attend the event two hours from home, fearing for their safety in the wake of the assassination attempt. But they felt obliged to come after the shooting last weekend.
“The chances of it happening again just one week to the day later is unlikely,” said Ms Upcott.
Them and many others in Grand Rapids were decked out in red Make America Great Again caps, along with cowboy hats, shirts and full outfits resembling the American flag. T-shirts with Trump's mug shot were also for sale.
Laura Schultz said she thought about her safety on Saturday morning before she decided to come to the event with a friend.
“You can’t let fear stop you,” she said.
Other rally-goers, including several young adults, said the assassination attempt pushed them to attend the Michigan rally.
It was the first Trump campaign event for fellow Donald, a 24 year old from Grand Rapids, who wore a shirt with the viral image of Trump pumping his fist after being shot.
“This is the first event after the attempted assassination. I think it’s probably going to be the most important rally,” he said, declining to share his last name.
Donald said he had no fears for his own safety, because of the hundreds of police officers, including some on horseback.
But others said they remained scared for Trump.
“It should be a concern for most Americans that he is still not safe,” Ms Upcott said.
“He needs to be very careful,” said Ms Schultz.
Other supporters expressed outrage at the US Secret Service over the incident last week.
The agency has faced intense scrutiny after shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks was able to take aim at Trump in Pennsylvania by climbing onto a roof of a building near the rally stage, even after rallygoers pointed him out to police.
Investigators have still yet to name a motive for the 20-year-old gunman who was later killed by Secret Service agents.
Since then, the country has become more attuned to possible threats to both presidential candidates. Police in Jupiter, Florida, on Friday arrested a man for allegedly posting threats to Trump on social media, while a different man from Florida was arrested a few days earlier for allegedly threatening President Joe Biden.
Saturday's Michigan indoor event space was much easier to secure, with metal detectors and military personnel sweeping the whole building, said former Secret Service agent Jason Russell, who has worked on campaign events at the Grand Rapids arena.
“You’ll have a pretty, pretty significant number of agents on site,” Mr Russell said, adding that they would be able to keep Trump out of view until his entrance.
This was one of several campaign stops the former president has made to the key battleground state, as polls show him in a close race against Mr Biden.
The rally came on the heels of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where Trump officially accepted his party’s presidential nomination and delivered his first public address since the assassination attempt.
It also marked the first time Trump appeared on the campaign trail with his vice-presidential pick, Ohio Sen. JD Vance.
Mr Biden, meanwhile, has had to pause campaign events after testing positive for Covid-19.
He continues to resist growing calls from members of his own party to drop out of the race due to concerns about his age and cognitive abilities.
Trump has for the most part stayed silent about Democrats' drama, but on Saturday he told the crowd they have a "couple problems".
"They don't know who their candidate is, and neither do we," he said.
On Saturday, the former White House physician, Dr Ronny Jackson, released a statement about his condition after having examined Trump.
The bullet created a 2cm-wide wound on Trump's ear that extended down to the cartilage, Dr Jackson said, which is beginning to "heal properly." No stitches had been needed, he added.
Trump's campaign also announced that it plans to hold its next rally in Charlotte, North Carolina on 24 July at the Bojangles Coliseum.
BBC
Donald Trump has told a rally in Michigan that he "took a bullet for democracy" when an attempt was made on his life last week.
Attended by thousands, it was Trump's first rally with new running mate JD Vance - and first since he survived the assassination attempt.
He told a packed arena in Grand Rapids that Democrats have accused him of being "a threat to democracy" and, to huge applause, said he was ready to "take back the White House".
An investigation is under way into the shooting last weekend, which left Trump with a wounded ear - though the prominent white bandage he wore throughout the Republican National Convention had on Saturday been replaced by a discreet flesh-toned plaster.
Trump was not scheduled to address the crowd until 17:00 EST (21:00 GMT) but by 13:00, a line stretched for about three miles (4.8km) outside the 12,000-person Van Del Arena.
Many of those at the event, in the battleground state of Michigan, told the BBC that the assassination attempt - which killed an audience member and wounded two others - would not stop them from showing support for the Republican presidential nominee.
Some said they came precisely because of the shooting.
Unlike that rally, held in Butler, Pennsylvania, the Grand Rapids event was indoors - allowing security officers to carefully monitor who entered and to cut off threats from outside the rally.
In his speech, Trump thanked the “thousands and thousands” of people who came to see him “almost exactly” a week after the assassination attempt.
“I stand before you only by the grace of almighty God,” he said, repeating his belief that divine intervention saved him from being killed.
Wendy and Steve Upcott of Clarkston, Michigan, were among the thousands who drove from all over the state to see him, many reassured by the increased security.
The couple said their 26-year-old daughter begged them not to attend the event two hours from home, fearing for their safety in the wake of the assassination attempt. But they felt obliged to come after the shooting last weekend.
“The chances of it happening again just one week to the day later is unlikely,” said Ms Upcott.
Them and many others in Grand Rapids were decked out in red Make America Great Again caps, along with cowboy hats, shirts and full outfits resembling the American flag. T-shirts with Trump's mug shot were also for sale.
Laura Schultz said she thought about her safety on Saturday morning before she decided to come to the event with a friend.
“You can’t let fear stop you,” she said.
Other rally-goers, including several young adults, said the assassination attempt pushed them to attend the Michigan rally.
It was the first Trump campaign event for fellow Donald, a 24 year old from Grand Rapids, who wore a shirt with the viral image of Trump pumping his fist after being shot.
“This is the first event after the attempted assassination. I think it’s probably going to be the most important rally,” he said, declining to share his last name.
Donald said he had no fears for his own safety, because of the hundreds of police officers, including some on horseback.
But others said they remained scared for Trump.
“It should be a concern for most Americans that he is still not safe,” Ms Upcott said.
“He needs to be very careful,” said Ms Schultz.
Other supporters expressed outrage at the US Secret Service over the incident last week.
The agency has faced intense scrutiny after shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks was able to take aim at Trump in Pennsylvania by climbing onto a roof of a building near the rally stage, even after rallygoers pointed him out to police.
Investigators have still yet to name a motive for the 20-year-old gunman who was later killed by Secret Service agents.
Since then, the country has become more attuned to possible threats to both presidential candidates. Police in Jupiter, Florida, on Friday arrested a man for allegedly posting threats to Trump on social media, while a different man from Florida was arrested a few days earlier for allegedly threatening President Joe Biden.
Saturday's Michigan indoor event space was much easier to secure, with metal detectors and military personnel sweeping the whole building, said former Secret Service agent Jason Russell, who has worked on campaign events at the Grand Rapids arena.
“You’ll have a pretty, pretty significant number of agents on site,” Mr Russell said, adding that they would be able to keep Trump out of view until his entrance.
This was one of several campaign stops the former president has made to the key battleground state, as polls show him in a close race against Mr Biden.
The rally came on the heels of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where Trump officially accepted his party’s presidential nomination and delivered his first public address since the assassination attempt.
It also marked the first time Trump appeared on the campaign trail with his vice-presidential pick, Ohio Sen. JD Vance.
Mr Biden, meanwhile, has had to pause campaign events after testing positive for Covid-19.
He continues to resist growing calls from members of his own party to drop out of the race due to concerns about his age and cognitive abilities.
Trump has for the most part stayed silent about Democrats' drama, but on Saturday he told the crowd they have a "couple problems".
"They don't know who their candidate is, and neither do we," he said.
On Saturday, the former White House physician, Dr Ronny Jackson, released a statement about his condition after having examined Trump.
The bullet created a 2cm-wide wound on Trump's ear that extended down to the cartilage, Dr Jackson said, which is beginning to "heal properly." No stitches had been needed, he added.
Trump's campaign also announced that it plans to hold its next rally in Charlotte, North Carolina on 24 July at the Bojangles Coliseum.
BBC
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Trump shooter flew drone above rally site ahead of time - US media
The gunman who tried to assassinate Donald Trump flew a drone above the site of the shooting ahead of time, law enforcement officials have told US media.
They say it remains unclear whether Thomas Matthew Crooks did this hours or days before the fateful rally in Pennsylvania on 13 July, reports CBS, the BBC's US media partner.
Trump, now officially the Republican presidential nominee, has said he was saved "by luck or by God" when a bullet pierced his right ear during a campaign speech.
A spectator was killed in the attack, while two others were seriously injured.
Crooks, 20, was shot dead at the scene by Security Service agents, who have come under intense scrutiny over the precautions taken to protect Trump at the rally - held outside in the city of Butler.
Security Service chief Kimberly Cheatle has been summoned to testify before a committee of the US House of Representatives on 22 July.
First reported by the Wall Street Journal, investigators told CBS they were still trying to determine when exactly Crooks flew the drone.
They said they believed it was within days of the rally at the Butler Farm Show grounds.
Other US outlets, also citing security officials, claimed the device was flown above the area on the day the event took place.
The drone is thought to have been used by the shooter to pick the best line of sight for the podium where Trump was due to speak.
Crooks fired multiple shots from the roof of a building that was little more than 130m (430ft) from Trump.
In an interview with Fox News to be broadcast in full on Monday, Trump said nobody had warned him before he went on stage that there was a potential shooter.
"How did somebody get on that roof? And why wasn't he reported, because people saw he was on that roof," he said.
The drone - found in the gunman's vehicle after the attack - is now being examined by investigators.
Two explosive devices, a tactical vest, and four magazines full of the same ammunition used in the attack were also discovered in the shooter's vehicle.
The development comes as US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas hit back at accusations by "some people" questioning the presence of women in law enforcement.
He praised "highly skilled and trained" women serving at every level "who risk their lives on the front lines for the safety and security of others".
Several female agents were part of Trump's security protocol during the shooting in Butler, shielding him after the shots were fired and leading him from the stage to a nearby security vehicle.
A number of social media users - including influential US conservative activists - later suggested that female agents were not best suited for jobs in the Secret Service.
"There should not be any women in the Secret Service," one such activist, Matt Walsh, wrote on X. "These are supposed to be the very best, and none of the very best at this job are women."
Some also criticised hiring practices that were focusing too much on diversity, equity and inclusion.
Mr Mayorkas said the Department of Homeland Security would "with great pride, focus and devotion to mission, continue to recruit, retain and elevate women in our law enforcement ranks".
"Our department will be the better for it, and our country more secure," he added.
Donald Trump: Shooter flew drone above rally site - US media
It is thought the device, now being examined, was used to pick the best line of sight to the former president.
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US Secret Service director Kim Cheatle has resigned from her position as head of the agency following an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump
She had faced calls from both Democrats and Republicans to step down after a contentious House committee hearing on Monday about the incident.
Lawmakers became increasingly frustrated when she refused to answer questions about the shooting at Trump's campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania earlier this month.
"As your director, I take full responsibility for the security lapse," she said in a resignation letter to agency staff on Tuesday. Ms Cheatle said she has always "put the needs of the agency first" and it is “with a heavy heart” that she made her decision.
“The scrutiny over the last week has been intense and will continue to remain as our operational tempo increases,” she said in the letter.
“I do not want my calls for resignation to be a distraction from the great work each and every one of you do towards our vital mission.”
President Joe Biden said in a statement that he's grateful for her decades of public service.
"The independent review to get to the bottom of what happened on July 13 continues, and I look forward to assessing its conclusions. We all know what happened that day can never happen again," he said.
Mr Biden said he will appoint a new director soon.
The president appointed Ms Cheatle to head the Secret Service - which oversees the protection of current and former presidents and other officials - in 2022. She had previously served 27 years at the agency in various roles.
During her time as an agent, Ms Cheatle was involved in evacuating then Vice-President Dick Cheney from the White House during the 11 September 2001 attacks. She later went on to become supervisor of Mr Biden’s protective detail when he was vice-president, before she became the deputy assistant director of protective operations.
But her leadership came under question after the shooting at Trump's 13 July rally, where a bullet grazed the former president's ear. He appeared multiple times at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee the following week with a bandage over his wound.
The attack left one audience member dead and two others badly wounded. Lawmakers questioned Ms Cheatle about security preparations ahead of the campaign rally during the tense six-hour House Oversight Committee hearing on Monday.
Ms Cheatle took responsibility for the security lapses, but pushed back on calls to resign.
She called the shooting "the most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades".
Witnesses reported seeing a suspicious man - suspect Thomas Matthew Crooks - with a rifle on a rooftop at the rally minutes before shots were fired.
Crooks was killed by a counter sniper shortly after. Security and law enforcement officers from a number of different agencies were present at the rally.
During her testimony, Ms Cheatle didn't offer lawmakers any new information on how Crooks was able to access the roof where he was perched and why Trump was allowed to take the stage.
Source : BBC
She had faced calls from both Democrats and Republicans to step down after a contentious House committee hearing on Monday about the incident.
Lawmakers became increasingly frustrated when she refused to answer questions about the shooting at Trump's campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania earlier this month.
"As your director, I take full responsibility for the security lapse," she said in a resignation letter to agency staff on Tuesday. Ms Cheatle said she has always "put the needs of the agency first" and it is “with a heavy heart” that she made her decision.
“The scrutiny over the last week has been intense and will continue to remain as our operational tempo increases,” she said in the letter.
“I do not want my calls for resignation to be a distraction from the great work each and every one of you do towards our vital mission.”
President Joe Biden said in a statement that he's grateful for her decades of public service.
"The independent review to get to the bottom of what happened on July 13 continues, and I look forward to assessing its conclusions. We all know what happened that day can never happen again," he said.
Mr Biden said he will appoint a new director soon.
The president appointed Ms Cheatle to head the Secret Service - which oversees the protection of current and former presidents and other officials - in 2022. She had previously served 27 years at the agency in various roles.
During her time as an agent, Ms Cheatle was involved in evacuating then Vice-President Dick Cheney from the White House during the 11 September 2001 attacks. She later went on to become supervisor of Mr Biden’s protective detail when he was vice-president, before she became the deputy assistant director of protective operations.
But her leadership came under question after the shooting at Trump's 13 July rally, where a bullet grazed the former president's ear. He appeared multiple times at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee the following week with a bandage over his wound.
The attack left one audience member dead and two others badly wounded. Lawmakers questioned Ms Cheatle about security preparations ahead of the campaign rally during the tense six-hour House Oversight Committee hearing on Monday.
Ms Cheatle took responsibility for the security lapses, but pushed back on calls to resign.
She called the shooting "the most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades".
Witnesses reported seeing a suspicious man - suspect Thomas Matthew Crooks - with a rifle on a rooftop at the rally minutes before shots were fired.
Crooks was killed by a counter sniper shortly after. Security and law enforcement officers from a number of different agencies were present at the rally.
During her testimony, Ms Cheatle didn't offer lawmakers any new information on how Crooks was able to access the roof where he was perched and why Trump was allowed to take the stage.
Source : BBC
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Trump rally law enforcement 'lost sight' of gunman Crooks before shooting: bodycam
Body camera footage recorded during the aftermath of the assassination attempt on former President Trump showed law enforcement discussing how a sniper "lost sight" of gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks.
Sen. Chuck Grassely, R-Iowa, posted the three-minute video on social media Tuesday. The footage shows authorities on the roof of a building in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Crooks was shot dead by snipers.
"Beaver County sniper seen and sent the pictures out. This is him," one law enforcement officer tells another man, who appears to be a Secret Service agent, on the roof.
"Rifle's right there, obviously," another law enforcement officer says as he points at the weapon.
The first law enforcement officer, whose body camera was recording, said the sniper who spotted Crooks was still in a building nearby, showing where the sniper was located.
"That’s the sniper who sent the original pictures and seen him come from the bike and then set the bag back down and then lost sight of him," the officer said. "He’s the one who sent the pictures out. I don’t know if you got the same ones I did…."
"I think I did, yeah," the man who appears to be a Secret Service agent replied. "He’s got his glasses on…."
The footage was obtained from the Beaver County Emergency Services Unit, and Grassley posted it on X. Fox News Digital has blurred the image of the body.
The man who appears to be a Secret Service agent asked, "And we have somebody detained, correct?"
"That I don't know," the officer replied.
Another officer said, "There were two people detained on this side."
"Our guy who was just up here told me that there's a guy detained who is the owner of the bike. And I said, ‘no, no, that’s the owner of the bike," the agent said, appearing to point to Crooks' body.
"We've been up here so we wouldn't know that information," an officer said.
"We just hauled a-- and got over here. We just hopped up on the roof," another person can be heard saying.
The agent later said the people who were detained had been filming, adding, "Maybe they were involved, maybe they weren't."
"The guys that saw them filming go, ‘They were filming us, and then filming the guy up on the roof, and then filming us, and then when the shots started firing, they ran away.' And I go, ‘Isn’t that what everybody was doing?'" the agent said. "I have no problem detaining them. Detain those guys. Find out who they know. Who they are. Whatever. Again, I'm trying to get clear information to relay back to D.C."
Trump rally law enforcement 'lost sight' of gunman Crooks before shooting: bodycam
Body cam video shows officers and Secret Service discuss the sniper who found Thomas Matthew Crooks before the Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump rally shooting.
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Trump shooter searched details of Lee Harvey Oswald and JFK assassination; flew drone near rally site, FBI director says
Donald Trump’s would-be assassin searched for details of the John F. Kennedy shooting from his laptop and flew a drone in the area near the rally just two hours before the former president took the stage on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, FBI Director Christopher Wray said Wednesday.
According to the FBI’s analysis of Thomas Matthew Crooks’ laptop, Crooks searched how far Lee Harvey Oswald was when he shot and killed President John F. Kennedy in 1963.
The search was on July 6, the same day the Trump rally was announced.
“On July 6, he did a Google search for: ‘how far away was Oswald from Kennedy,’” Wray told the House Judiciary Committee.
“That’s a search that’s obviously significant in terms of his state of mind,” the FBI director added. “That is the same day that it appears that he registered for the Butler rally.”
Speaking to the House Judiciary Committee, Wray revealed that “around 4 p.m.,” the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, “was flying the drone around the area” of the rally, approximately 200 yards from the stage.
The drone was in the air for approximately 11 minutes, and investigators believe Crooks watched a live feed from the drone on his phone. CNN previously reported that the drone was found in his car following the shooting.
In addition, Crooks had two explosives in his car at the time of the shooting and one in his home, but likely did not have the ability to detonate them from the roof where he was killed, Wray testified.
“It looks like because of the on/off position on the receivers, that if he had tried to detonate those devices from the roof, it would not have worked,” Wray said.
Wray said that investigators have been able to “reverse-engineer the flight path of the drone from the day of the rally,” and now think that the drone footage “would have shown [the shooter] what would have been behind him.”
“It was almost like giving him a rear-view mirror of the scene behind him,” Wray said.
The FBI is investigating the shooting as both an attempted assassination and as a potential act of domestic terrorism. FBI officials have repeatedly asserted that they believe Crooks acted alone, and Wray reiterated that there is no evidence of any co-conspirators.
Investigators say that Crooks fired approximately eight times from an AR-style rifle at the former president before being killed by a US Secret Service counter sniper.
The rifle Crooks used was purchased from his father, Wray testified.
“The weapon that he used for the attempted assassination was an AR-style rifle that was purchased legally, that he – as my understanding – acquired, I think bought actually from his father, who was the one who originally bought it,” Wray said.
Previously, officials said they believed the firearm belonged to Crooks’ father – not the shooter – and they didn’t know how Crooks accessed the weapon.
“I have been saying some time now that we are living in an elevated threat environment,” Wray said. “The shooter may be deceased but the FBI’s investigation is ongoing.”
Investigators have gone through the shooter’s phone and computer, scoured his search history and bedroom and have interviewed his family and friends, but have struggled to identify what motivated the 20-year-old would be assassin to act.
Crooks also had no prior contacts with the FBI, officials say, and had not been previously on their radar or databases.
Wray pushed back against reports that Crooks searched for images of specific prominent public officials online, saying that it appears he was actually searching for news articles.
“The shooter appears to have done a lot of searches of public figures in general, but so far we are seeing kind of news articles and things like that,” Wray said. He continued, “so the images that have been reported about, really what we are talking about there are when you do a news search of an article the image appears in a cache as opposed to like a search for that specific individual.”
The FBI director cautioned that the effort to uncover Crooks’ motive is ongoing, but warned that “it is, quite frankly, a dangerous time to be a prominent public official.”
Wray said on Wednesday that the FBI informed the US Secret Service about an Iranian plot to assassinate former President Donald Trump, saying that it’s likely law enforcement agencies are going to see more such “brazenness” from Iran in the future.
The director declined to provide details of “specific, classified information,” to the committee but stressed that his agency has been calling out “efforts by the Iranian government to attempt to retaliate for the killing of (Iranian General) Soleimani by going after current or former prominent US officials.”
“I think we need to recognize the brazenness of the Iranian regime, including right here in the United States, and I expect that we’re going to see more of it and I expect there will be more coming on that,” Wray said.
CNN has previously reported that US authorities obtained intelligence from a human source in recent weeks on a plot by Iran to try to assassinate Trump, a development that led to the Secret Service increasing security around the former president, multiple people briefed on the matter told CNN. There’s no indication that Thomas Matthew Crooks, the would-be assassin who attempted to kill the former president, was connected to the plot, the sources said.
Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff pressed Wray on the agency’s hiring standards in an effort to criticize the Republican Party’s decision to make Trump, a convicted felon, its 2024 presidential nominee.
“Do candidates for the FBI have to go through background checks?” Schiff asked, to which Wray said yes.
“Would someone with dozens of felony convictions survive a background check for the bureau?” Schiff said.
“No,” Wray replied.
“So they would never be hired by the bureau?”
“No,” Wray said again.
“Clearly, the bureau has higher standards for their hiring than one of America’s great political parties,” Schiff said.
Trump was convicted earlier this year on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records as part of a hush money scheme he orchestrated ahead of the 2016 election.
The House Judiciary Committee hearing is ongoing.
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Trump shooting: The plan and the botched response
Thomas Matthew Crooks walked into Donald Trump's election rally in Pennsylvania, unopposed with a gun, explosives and a rangefinder to measure distance to his target.
The aftermath of the 13 July shooting reveals a detailed plan hatched in the days before - and a series of security failings that allowed its execution.
Three congressional hearings were held this week with the head of the FBI, the Secret Service's director and Pennsylvania's state police chief.
Here is what those hearings have added to what is known about the attempt on Trump's life, what went wrong, and important unanswered questions.
The preparation
It is becoming clear that Crooks' attack was not the result of a last-minute meltdown: He had method, and purpose.
The FBI has said that 6 July appeared to be the inception date: Crooks registered to attend Trump's rally, and researched the assassination of President John F Kennedy, googling: "How far away was Oswald from Kennedy?"
"That's a search that's obviously significant in terms of his state of mind," Christopher Wray, the FBI's director, told the House Judiciary committee on Wednesday. He added that searches by Crooks then became "focused" on Trump.
He was working alone - the FBI say they do not think he received any help.
There was also reconnaissance. Mr Wray said Crooks was flying a drone about 200 yards (183m) from the stage two hours before Trump's rally.
Its camera ran for about 11 minutes, Mr Wray said, and the footage would have shown "a rear-view mirror of the scene" behind Crooks' eventual firing position.
Mr Wray said that Crooks had bought an AR-15-style rifle from his father, legally, although he did not say when. The gun had a collapsible stock, making it easier to conceal.
State police officers reported him using a rangefinder, a marksman's aid that measures distance to a target, as the rally got under way.
Crooks had also obtained explosives: two "crude" devices fitted with receivers were found in Crooks' car after the attack, Mr Wray said, and a transmitter was found on his body.
A bloodied receipt was also found on Crooks for a 5ft ladder, Mr Wray said - suggesting a recent buy. No ladder was found at the site, however, and Mr Wray said Crooks had used "mechanical equipment" to get to his perch - but did not elaborate.
And so Crooks turned up on the day with a concealable rifle, knowledge of previous assassinations, a rangefinder, two bombs, and detailed information on the layout of the area.
A plan in action
It should be impossible for a man to walk into a presidential rally with so much gear, let alone carry it up to an undefended roof with a direct line of sight to the stage. But this is exactly what happened in Butler.
Statements to the House Homeland Security committee by Pennsylvania's police commissioner, Christopher Paris, convey a series of lapses from law enforcement.
The venue had two layers of security - an outer area patrolled by state police and an inner perimeter manned by Secret Service agents, including an anti-sniper team on a roof behind the stage.
An operations centre was staffed by members of the various agencies present. But on the day, communication was haphazard and areas of responsibility unclear.
Mr Paris told his hearing that state police were responsible for the area around the AGR International warehouse, the building from which Crooks fired that was around 400ft (122m) from the stage with a clear line of sight.
He revealed his men had raised its risk in the days before the rally and were told by the Secret Service that it was a state police matter as it was in the outer area.
As a consequence, a local SWAT-style Emergency Services Unit (ESU) team was stationed inside the building complex, Mr Paris added.
The New York Times reported that the team was in fact two men who stayed inside because of the hot weather. The plan had been approved by the Secret Service, the newspaper's source said.
Kimberly Cheatle, director of the Secret Service until she stepped down this week, told lawmakers she could not account for why no one was stationed on the roof.
What went wrong?
Mr Paris said the first sighting of Crooks came from a state police ESU unit.
Unlike others in the crowd, Crooks was walking around and did not try to enter the venue, he said. "Crooks never made it through the secure perimeter."
He was not challenged. Mr Paris said he was one of three people flagged as "suspicious" at this point in the event.
About 25 minutes before the rally began, however, Mr Paris said that the ESU team spotted him again - this time using his rangefinder, though no gun was reported.
This is perhaps the point where security broke down irrevocably.
A photograph of Crooks was sent by a member of the ESU team to a state trooper in the joint operations room. Mr Paris said that a Secret Service liaison asked the trooper to send the photo to another number.
At this point, it seems that agents charged with protecting Trump did not consider Crooks dangerous enough to act - no weapon had been spotted.
During her fractious hearing before the House Oversight committee on Monday, Ms Cheatle acknowledged her agents were told about Crooks at least twice before the shooting began.
She said that agents only became aware of the gravity of the threat "seconds before the gunfire started".
The crucial moments
Mr Paris said several local police, including the ESU team, then began searching for Crooks. It appears he was lost again, despite his growing threat.
Witnesses told the BBC that by this point they had seen a man with a gun crawling along a roof. All of this was happening with Trump already on stage.
Mr Paris said that Crooks was eventually seen on the roof by local traffic police and his ESU team. One traffic officer boosted up to the roof by a colleague was forced to fall back after being confronted by Crooks, Mr Paris told the hearing.
That confrontation, the commissioner said, happened "a matter of seconds" before the shooting.
Agents surrounded Trump immediately after the first shots, and he was off the stage within two minutes. By this point Crooks had been shot dead by a sniper.
A video recorded on the roof about an hour after the attack shows snipers and Secret Service agents trying to understand who saw what and when, adding to the sense of confusion among law enforcement.
Eight bullet casings were found near his body. He had killed one crowd member and injured two others.
In his evidence to Congress, Mr Wray said that with respect to Trump there was "still some question of whether or not a bullet or shrapnel hit his ear".
Trump has said he "took a bullet for democracy" but has given no official information about his medical care.
Why was Trump allowed on stage?
Trump was on stage for around 10 minutes between the moment Crooks was spotted on the roof with a gun and the moment he fired his first shot.
There is almost no public account of the Secret Service's actions and decisions during the rally. Ms Cheatle declined to answer most of the questions put to her in Congress - down to how many agents were protecting Trump.
We do know, via Ms Cheatle, that agents dismissed the alerts about him because he was not seen with a weapon.
She could not provide her hearing a detailed timeline, as requested, saying she "did not have specifics".
She quit as director of the Secret Service a day after her hearing, under pressure from both sides of the House, and it seems we won't get answers any time soon.
What was Crooks' motive?
More than a week on, we still do not know of any specific ideology or belief that drove Crooks to do what he did.
Mr Wray of the FBI told his hearing that a motive was one of the "central questions" of his bureau's investigations.
However, he said that interviews with Crooks' associates and searches of his home and online history did not give a "clear picture".
Analysis of the gunman's phone showed that he had "done a lot of searches" for news articles - but there was no pattern, Mr Wray added.
Investigators were still decrypting messages on the phone, he said.
We know he donated $15 to a Democratic Party platform shortly after the Capitol riot of 2021, then months later registered as a Republican.
No "manifesto" has been found.
What he planned to do with his explosives, meanwhile, remains unclear - Mr Wray said that while his bombs were viable, their receivers were off and Crooks would not have been able to detonate them remotely.
BBC
Thomas Matthew Crooks walked into Donald Trump's election rally in Pennsylvania, unopposed with a gun, explosives and a rangefinder to measure distance to his target.
The aftermath of the 13 July shooting reveals a detailed plan hatched in the days before - and a series of security failings that allowed its execution.
Three congressional hearings were held this week with the head of the FBI, the Secret Service's director and Pennsylvania's state police chief.
Here is what those hearings have added to what is known about the attempt on Trump's life, what went wrong, and important unanswered questions.
The preparation
It is becoming clear that Crooks' attack was not the result of a last-minute meltdown: He had method, and purpose.
The FBI has said that 6 July appeared to be the inception date: Crooks registered to attend Trump's rally, and researched the assassination of President John F Kennedy, googling: "How far away was Oswald from Kennedy?"
"That's a search that's obviously significant in terms of his state of mind," Christopher Wray, the FBI's director, told the House Judiciary committee on Wednesday. He added that searches by Crooks then became "focused" on Trump.
He was working alone - the FBI say they do not think he received any help.
There was also reconnaissance. Mr Wray said Crooks was flying a drone about 200 yards (183m) from the stage two hours before Trump's rally.
Its camera ran for about 11 minutes, Mr Wray said, and the footage would have shown "a rear-view mirror of the scene" behind Crooks' eventual firing position.
Mr Wray said that Crooks had bought an AR-15-style rifle from his father, legally, although he did not say when. The gun had a collapsible stock, making it easier to conceal.
State police officers reported him using a rangefinder, a marksman's aid that measures distance to a target, as the rally got under way.
Crooks had also obtained explosives: two "crude" devices fitted with receivers were found in Crooks' car after the attack, Mr Wray said, and a transmitter was found on his body.
A bloodied receipt was also found on Crooks for a 5ft ladder, Mr Wray said - suggesting a recent buy. No ladder was found at the site, however, and Mr Wray said Crooks had used "mechanical equipment" to get to his perch - but did not elaborate.
And so Crooks turned up on the day with a concealable rifle, knowledge of previous assassinations, a rangefinder, two bombs, and detailed information on the layout of the area.
A plan in action
It should be impossible for a man to walk into a presidential rally with so much gear, let alone carry it up to an undefended roof with a direct line of sight to the stage. But this is exactly what happened in Butler.
Statements to the House Homeland Security committee by Pennsylvania's police commissioner, Christopher Paris, convey a series of lapses from law enforcement.
The venue had two layers of security - an outer area patrolled by state police and an inner perimeter manned by Secret Service agents, including an anti-sniper team on a roof behind the stage.
An operations centre was staffed by members of the various agencies present. But on the day, communication was haphazard and areas of responsibility unclear.
Mr Paris told his hearing that state police were responsible for the area around the AGR International warehouse, the building from which Crooks fired that was around 400ft (122m) from the stage with a clear line of sight.
He revealed his men had raised its risk in the days before the rally and were told by the Secret Service that it was a state police matter as it was in the outer area.
As a consequence, a local SWAT-style Emergency Services Unit (ESU) team was stationed inside the building complex, Mr Paris added.
The New York Times reported that the team was in fact two men who stayed inside because of the hot weather. The plan had been approved by the Secret Service, the newspaper's source said.
Kimberly Cheatle, director of the Secret Service until she stepped down this week, told lawmakers she could not account for why no one was stationed on the roof.
What went wrong?
Mr Paris said the first sighting of Crooks came from a state police ESU unit.
Unlike others in the crowd, Crooks was walking around and did not try to enter the venue, he said. "Crooks never made it through the secure perimeter."
He was not challenged. Mr Paris said he was one of three people flagged as "suspicious" at this point in the event.
About 25 minutes before the rally began, however, Mr Paris said that the ESU team spotted him again - this time using his rangefinder, though no gun was reported.
This is perhaps the point where security broke down irrevocably.
A photograph of Crooks was sent by a member of the ESU team to a state trooper in the joint operations room. Mr Paris said that a Secret Service liaison asked the trooper to send the photo to another number.
At this point, it seems that agents charged with protecting Trump did not consider Crooks dangerous enough to act - no weapon had been spotted.
During her fractious hearing before the House Oversight committee on Monday, Ms Cheatle acknowledged her agents were told about Crooks at least twice before the shooting began.
She said that agents only became aware of the gravity of the threat "seconds before the gunfire started".
The crucial moments
Mr Paris said several local police, including the ESU team, then began searching for Crooks. It appears he was lost again, despite his growing threat.
Witnesses told the BBC that by this point they had seen a man with a gun crawling along a roof. All of this was happening with Trump already on stage.
Mr Paris said that Crooks was eventually seen on the roof by local traffic police and his ESU team. One traffic officer boosted up to the roof by a colleague was forced to fall back after being confronted by Crooks, Mr Paris told the hearing.
That confrontation, the commissioner said, happened "a matter of seconds" before the shooting.
Agents surrounded Trump immediately after the first shots, and he was off the stage within two minutes. By this point Crooks had been shot dead by a sniper.
A video recorded on the roof about an hour after the attack shows snipers and Secret Service agents trying to understand who saw what and when, adding to the sense of confusion among law enforcement.
Eight bullet casings were found near his body. He had killed one crowd member and injured two others.
In his evidence to Congress, Mr Wray said that with respect to Trump there was "still some question of whether or not a bullet or shrapnel hit his ear".
Trump has said he "took a bullet for democracy" but has given no official information about his medical care.
Why was Trump allowed on stage?
Trump was on stage for around 10 minutes between the moment Crooks was spotted on the roof with a gun and the moment he fired his first shot.
There is almost no public account of the Secret Service's actions and decisions during the rally. Ms Cheatle declined to answer most of the questions put to her in Congress - down to how many agents were protecting Trump.
We do know, via Ms Cheatle, that agents dismissed the alerts about him because he was not seen with a weapon.
She could not provide her hearing a detailed timeline, as requested, saying she "did not have specifics".
She quit as director of the Secret Service a day after her hearing, under pressure from both sides of the House, and it seems we won't get answers any time soon.
What was Crooks' motive?
More than a week on, we still do not know of any specific ideology or belief that drove Crooks to do what he did.
Mr Wray of the FBI told his hearing that a motive was one of the "central questions" of his bureau's investigations.
However, he said that interviews with Crooks' associates and searches of his home and online history did not give a "clear picture".
Analysis of the gunman's phone showed that he had "done a lot of searches" for news articles - but there was no pattern, Mr Wray added.
Investigators were still decrypting messages on the phone, he said.
We know he donated $15 to a Democratic Party platform shortly after the Capitol riot of 2021, then months later registered as a Republican.
No "manifesto" has been found.
What he planned to do with his explosives, meanwhile, remains unclear - Mr Wray said that while his bombs were viable, their receivers were off and Crooks would not have been able to detonate them remotely.
BBC
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Trump gunman spotted 90 minutes before shooting, texts show; SWAT team speaks
Members of a local SWAT team at the scene the day former President Donald Trump was shot spoke out for the first time Monday, citing communication failures with the Secret Service but acknowledging that "we all failed that day."
"I remember standing in the parking lot talking to one of the guys" after the July 13 shooting, Mike Priolo, a member of the Beaver County, Pennsylvania, SWAT team, said on ABC's "Good Morning America." "We just became part of history. And not in a good way."
Also Monday, ABC News reported obtaining text messages indicating that would-be gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks drew the attention of a sniper more than 90 minutes before the shooting began on the grounds of the Butler Farm Show. That is more than a half-hour earlier than previously reported.
A sniper leaving the area where local SWAT members assembled texted the others that he saw Crooks "sitting to the direct right on a picnic table about 50 yards from the exit." He also texted that Crooks saw him leave the area with a rifle "so he knows you guys are up there."
About an hour before the shooting, sniper team member Gregory Nicol told "GMA "Good Morning America" he saw Crooks take a rangefinder from his pocket. Though rangefinders were not banned from rallies, Nicol took Crooks' picture and called in a warning of a suspicious presence.
“He was looking up and down the building," Nicols said. "It just seemed out of place.”
Crooks opened fire shortly after 6 p.m., killing rally attendee Corey Comperatore, 50, wounding Trump in the ear and critically injuring two other men. A Secret Service sniper on another roof fatally shot Crooks, authorities say.
www.usatoday.com
Members of a local SWAT team at the scene the day former President Donald Trump was shot spoke out for the first time Monday, citing communication failures with the Secret Service but acknowledging that "we all failed that day."
"I remember standing in the parking lot talking to one of the guys" after the July 13 shooting, Mike Priolo, a member of the Beaver County, Pennsylvania, SWAT team, said on ABC's "Good Morning America." "We just became part of history. And not in a good way."
Also Monday, ABC News reported obtaining text messages indicating that would-be gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks drew the attention of a sniper more than 90 minutes before the shooting began on the grounds of the Butler Farm Show. That is more than a half-hour earlier than previously reported.
A sniper leaving the area where local SWAT members assembled texted the others that he saw Crooks "sitting to the direct right on a picnic table about 50 yards from the exit." He also texted that Crooks saw him leave the area with a rifle "so he knows you guys are up there."
About an hour before the shooting, sniper team member Gregory Nicol told "GMA "Good Morning America" he saw Crooks take a rangefinder from his pocket. Though rangefinders were not banned from rallies, Nicol took Crooks' picture and called in a warning of a suspicious presence.
“He was looking up and down the building," Nicols said. "It just seemed out of place.”
Crooks opened fire shortly after 6 p.m., killing rally attendee Corey Comperatore, 50, wounding Trump in the ear and critically injuring two other men. A Secret Service sniper on another roof fatally shot Crooks, authorities say.
Trump gunman spotted 90 minutes before shooting, texts show; SWAT team speaks
Members of the Beaver County SWAT team cited communication failures with the Secret Service but acknowledged that \
www.usatoday.com
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Trump to be interviewed by FBI in shooting investigation
Donald Trump has agreed to be interviewed by the FBI as part of its investigation into the assassination attempt at his rally in Pennsylvania earlier this month.
In a call with reporters on Monday, the FBI did not give a date for the interview, but said it would be "a standard victim interview we do for any other victim of crime".
"We want to get his perspective on what he observed," FBI Special Agent Kevin Rojek said.
Despite poring over mountains of evidence, investigators are yet to determine a motive to explain why Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire on 13 July.
Newly released text messages, meanwhile, have revealed the 20-year-old was spotted by a local Swat team more than 90 minutes before the shooting - much earlier than previously thought.
The messages obtained by the New York Times and ABC News will add to the list of security failures that preceded the assassination attempt against the former president.
On Monday, the FBI said investigators believe Crooks conducted "careful planning" ahead of the 13 July rally and made "significant efforts" to conceal his activities.
That planning - which included six purchases of components for explosive devices - was conducted in a manner that would not "significantly raise the suspicions of his parents", Mr Rojek said.
Multiple investigations have been launched into what went wrong in securing Butler Fair Show grounds on 13 July.
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned after admitting failures.
On the day of the shooting, the agency was in charge of security within a fenced area and local law enforcement were responsible for areas beyond that.
At 16:19 local time (21:19 BST), the local police sniper texted two colleagues who were in the second floor of a warehouse overlooking the site, telling them he was clocking off.
As he left the building, he saw a young man sitting at a picnic table and notifed the others, saying in a text "someone followed our lead and snuck in and parked by our cars just so you know".
By 17:38 Crooks had moved from the table to the warehouse, an American Glass Research (AGR) building, and pictures of him were taken and shared in a group chat.
"Kid learning around building we are in. AGR I believe it is. I did see him with a range finder looking towards stage. FYI. If you wanna notify SS snipers to look out. I lost sight of him.”
Other messages obtained by CBS, the BBC's news partner, showed that at 17:51 a picture of Crooks was forwarded to a local officer, who said that commanders were "asking for a direction of travel".
About 20 minutes later, Crooks was dead, shot by the Secret Service after opening fire from the roof of an adjoining warehouse.
While the FBI investigation is focused on Crooks and his motivations - rather than any security failures that took place - Mr Rojek said investigators believe that he arrived at the venue at 13:50 on the day of the shooting, and flew a drone around the area for 11 minutes shortly after.
The FBI believes Crooks left the venue at approximately 16:00 before returning and being identified as a suspicious person shortly after 17:00.
At around 17:30, he was seen using a range finder, according to the FBI's timeline, just under half an hour before he was seen walking near the AGR building with a backpack.
At 18:11, he was confronted by a local police officer, about 30 seconds before he fired eight shots in the direction of Trump and the crowd.
Crooks is now believed to have conducted "early surveillance" of the site on 11 July, two days before the rally.
The newly published text messages extend the time period in which the 20-year-old gunman had provoked suspicion.
Previously reports established that he was on the radar of local law enforcement about an hour before the shooting.
Witnesses told the BBC moments after the shooting they had spotted the gunman on the roof and raised the alarm.
It is still unclear why there was a communications breakdown between local law enforcement and the Secret Service.
Members of the local Swat team told ABC News on Sunday they had no contact with the agency and a face-to-face briefing failed to happen.
On Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also announced 13 members of a bipartisan task force that will investigate the attempt on Trump's life.
The committee - which is composed of seven Republicans and six democrats - includes Pennsylvania Republican Mike Kelly, whose district includes Butler, and Tennessee's Mark Green, the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.
Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe and FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate will appear at a separate hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee on Tuesday.
BBC
Donald Trump has agreed to be interviewed by the FBI as part of its investigation into the assassination attempt at his rally in Pennsylvania earlier this month.
In a call with reporters on Monday, the FBI did not give a date for the interview, but said it would be "a standard victim interview we do for any other victim of crime".
"We want to get his perspective on what he observed," FBI Special Agent Kevin Rojek said.
Despite poring over mountains of evidence, investigators are yet to determine a motive to explain why Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire on 13 July.
Newly released text messages, meanwhile, have revealed the 20-year-old was spotted by a local Swat team more than 90 minutes before the shooting - much earlier than previously thought.
The messages obtained by the New York Times and ABC News will add to the list of security failures that preceded the assassination attempt against the former president.
On Monday, the FBI said investigators believe Crooks conducted "careful planning" ahead of the 13 July rally and made "significant efforts" to conceal his activities.
That planning - which included six purchases of components for explosive devices - was conducted in a manner that would not "significantly raise the suspicions of his parents", Mr Rojek said.
Multiple investigations have been launched into what went wrong in securing Butler Fair Show grounds on 13 July.
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned after admitting failures.
On the day of the shooting, the agency was in charge of security within a fenced area and local law enforcement were responsible for areas beyond that.
At 16:19 local time (21:19 BST), the local police sniper texted two colleagues who were in the second floor of a warehouse overlooking the site, telling them he was clocking off.
As he left the building, he saw a young man sitting at a picnic table and notifed the others, saying in a text "someone followed our lead and snuck in and parked by our cars just so you know".
By 17:38 Crooks had moved from the table to the warehouse, an American Glass Research (AGR) building, and pictures of him were taken and shared in a group chat.
"Kid learning around building we are in. AGR I believe it is. I did see him with a range finder looking towards stage. FYI. If you wanna notify SS snipers to look out. I lost sight of him.”
Other messages obtained by CBS, the BBC's news partner, showed that at 17:51 a picture of Crooks was forwarded to a local officer, who said that commanders were "asking for a direction of travel".
About 20 minutes later, Crooks was dead, shot by the Secret Service after opening fire from the roof of an adjoining warehouse.
While the FBI investigation is focused on Crooks and his motivations - rather than any security failures that took place - Mr Rojek said investigators believe that he arrived at the venue at 13:50 on the day of the shooting, and flew a drone around the area for 11 minutes shortly after.
The FBI believes Crooks left the venue at approximately 16:00 before returning and being identified as a suspicious person shortly after 17:00.
At around 17:30, he was seen using a range finder, according to the FBI's timeline, just under half an hour before he was seen walking near the AGR building with a backpack.
At 18:11, he was confronted by a local police officer, about 30 seconds before he fired eight shots in the direction of Trump and the crowd.
Crooks is now believed to have conducted "early surveillance" of the site on 11 July, two days before the rally.
The newly published text messages extend the time period in which the 20-year-old gunman had provoked suspicion.
Previously reports established that he was on the radar of local law enforcement about an hour before the shooting.
Witnesses told the BBC moments after the shooting they had spotted the gunman on the roof and raised the alarm.
It is still unclear why there was a communications breakdown between local law enforcement and the Secret Service.
Members of the local Swat team told ABC News on Sunday they had no contact with the agency and a face-to-face briefing failed to happen.
On Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also announced 13 members of a bipartisan task force that will investigate the attempt on Trump's life.
The committee - which is composed of seven Republicans and six democrats - includes Pennsylvania Republican Mike Kelly, whose district includes Butler, and Tennessee's Mark Green, the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.
Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe and FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate will appear at a separate hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee on Tuesday.
BBC
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Did Facebook And Google Censor Trump’s Assassination Attempt Photo? Here’s What Really Happened.
Former President Donald Trump urged his supporters to “go after Meta and Google” after the companies acknowledged unintended moderation errors on content related to the assassination attempt against Trump—fueling unfounded accusations on the right that big tech companies are working against Republicans to elect Democrats.
Key Facts
Right-wing social media users, including Donald Trump Jr., Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, and the “End Wokeness” X account, in addition to X owner Elon Musk, amplified accusations that Google purposely blocked search terms related to the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump from auto-populating in its search bar.
“Big Tech is trying to interfere in the election AGAIN to help Kamala Harris,” Trump Jr. tweeted, reposting another user’s tweet that included a screenshot of the names that auto populate after typing “assassination attempt on” into the search bar, including “Reagan . . . Bob Marley . . . Lenin . . . Gerald Ford” and more, though Trump’s is not among those suggested by the search engine.
Google acknowledged the issue in a statement to Fox Business, telling the outlet’s “systems have protections against Autocomplete predictions associated with political violence, which were working as intended prior to” the July 13 assassination attempt against Trump.
Facebook also admitted to “an error” related to content surrounding the assassination attempt against Trump, writing Monday on X that a fact check note suggesting the photo of Trump raising his fist after he was shot and escorted off stage by Secret Service had been altered was mistakenly added to the real photo.
The note was “initially applied to a doctored photo showing the secret service agents smiling, and in some cases our systems incorrectly applied that fact check to the real photo,” Meta spokesperson Dani Lever wrote.
Trump on Tuesday accused both Meta and Google of “another attempt at RIGGING THE ELECTION!!!” in a Truth Social post, urging his supporters to “GO AFTER META AND GOOGLE. LET THEM KNOW WE ARE ALL WISE TO THEM, WILL BE MUCH TOUGHER THIS TIME.”
Key Background
Big tech companies have struggled to limit misinformation without prompting accusations of bias, leading the right in particular to accuse social media companies of unfairly censoring content to benefit Democratic candidates. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter blocked Trump’s accounts in the wake of Jan. 6, 2021, to prevent him from making baseless accusations that the 2020 election was stolen from him—false claims that encouraged his supporters to storm the Capitol as Congress was in the process of certifying President Joe Biden’s electoral college win. Meta reinstated Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts in January 2023. X owner Elon Musk restored Trump’s Twitter account in 2022 after purchasing the company, and he has since developed an alliance with Trump as his politics have veered increasingly to the right. Musk has endorsed Trump’s latest campaign and reportedly told associates in private he would donate $45 million a month to a pro-Trump super PAC, then publicly denied promising the funding.
Surprising Fact
Trump has posted just once to his Twitter account since January 2021: an August 2023 photo of his mug shot in his Georgia election interference case with a link to his campaign website. He regularly uses Facebook and Instagram.
Tangent
Authorities have said they have yet to identify a motive in the July 13 shooting at Trump’s Pennsylvania rally that left one bystander dead, and Trump and two other attendees injured. The FBI on Tuesday said it believes to have linked the 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was shot by a Secret Service sniper, to an account featuring “antisemitic and anti-immigration themes to espouse political violence.” Crooks, a registered Republican who has donated to a Democratic organization, had searched for information on Trump and details of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy prior to the shooting, officials have said.
SOURCE: https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarado...ion-attempt-photo-heres-what-really-happened/
Former President Donald Trump urged his supporters to “go after Meta and Google” after the companies acknowledged unintended moderation errors on content related to the assassination attempt against Trump—fueling unfounded accusations on the right that big tech companies are working against Republicans to elect Democrats.
Key Facts
Right-wing social media users, including Donald Trump Jr., Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, and the “End Wokeness” X account, in addition to X owner Elon Musk, amplified accusations that Google purposely blocked search terms related to the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump from auto-populating in its search bar.
“Big Tech is trying to interfere in the election AGAIN to help Kamala Harris,” Trump Jr. tweeted, reposting another user’s tweet that included a screenshot of the names that auto populate after typing “assassination attempt on” into the search bar, including “Reagan . . . Bob Marley . . . Lenin . . . Gerald Ford” and more, though Trump’s is not among those suggested by the search engine.
Google acknowledged the issue in a statement to Fox Business, telling the outlet’s “systems have protections against Autocomplete predictions associated with political violence, which were working as intended prior to” the July 13 assassination attempt against Trump.
Facebook also admitted to “an error” related to content surrounding the assassination attempt against Trump, writing Monday on X that a fact check note suggesting the photo of Trump raising his fist after he was shot and escorted off stage by Secret Service had been altered was mistakenly added to the real photo.
The note was “initially applied to a doctored photo showing the secret service agents smiling, and in some cases our systems incorrectly applied that fact check to the real photo,” Meta spokesperson Dani Lever wrote.
Trump on Tuesday accused both Meta and Google of “another attempt at RIGGING THE ELECTION!!!” in a Truth Social post, urging his supporters to “GO AFTER META AND GOOGLE. LET THEM KNOW WE ARE ALL WISE TO THEM, WILL BE MUCH TOUGHER THIS TIME.”
Key Background
Big tech companies have struggled to limit misinformation without prompting accusations of bias, leading the right in particular to accuse social media companies of unfairly censoring content to benefit Democratic candidates. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter blocked Trump’s accounts in the wake of Jan. 6, 2021, to prevent him from making baseless accusations that the 2020 election was stolen from him—false claims that encouraged his supporters to storm the Capitol as Congress was in the process of certifying President Joe Biden’s electoral college win. Meta reinstated Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts in January 2023. X owner Elon Musk restored Trump’s Twitter account in 2022 after purchasing the company, and he has since developed an alliance with Trump as his politics have veered increasingly to the right. Musk has endorsed Trump’s latest campaign and reportedly told associates in private he would donate $45 million a month to a pro-Trump super PAC, then publicly denied promising the funding.
Surprising Fact
Trump has posted just once to his Twitter account since January 2021: an August 2023 photo of his mug shot in his Georgia election interference case with a link to his campaign website. He regularly uses Facebook and Instagram.
Tangent
Authorities have said they have yet to identify a motive in the July 13 shooting at Trump’s Pennsylvania rally that left one bystander dead, and Trump and two other attendees injured. The FBI on Tuesday said it believes to have linked the 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was shot by a Secret Service sniper, to an account featuring “antisemitic and anti-immigration themes to espouse political violence.” Crooks, a registered Republican who has donated to a Democratic organization, had searched for information on Trump and details of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy prior to the shooting, officials have said.
SOURCE: https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarado...ion-attempt-photo-heres-what-really-happened/
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Trump shooter autopsy reveals cause of death after attempted assassination
Local Pennsylvania authorities released a one-page report Thursday outlining how the man who attempted to kill former President Donald Trump died.
Butler County Coroner William Young determined Thomas Crooks, 20, died from a single gunshot wound to the head at 6:25 p.m. on July 13. He ruled the official cause of death a homicide.
A counter-sniper team shot Crooks while on the white roof of the warehouse owned by AGR International near the rally site.
Butler County declined a request from the USA TODAY Network for a full copy of the autopsy results, citing the state’s record law that specifically exempts it. It is unknown whether officials tested Crooks for chemicals or medications as is standard in autopsy examinations.
Congressional oversight committees have been critical of federal officials for slowly releasing information about the shooting. In recent weeks, Sen. Chuck Grassley released a raft of local video and investigative materials publicly.
The autopsy does add one more specific to the timeline of the shooting released this week by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, which showed that local law enforcement had identified Crooks as suspicious shortly after 5 p.m., more than an hour before the shooting.
At around 5:30 p.m., SWAT operators saw him using a range finder and browsing news websites on his phone, then at 5:56 p.m. with a backpack.
Crooks was observed climbing HVAC piping outside the warehouse, and “traversed across multiple rooftops to his ultimate shooting position, leading a local police officer to be boosted onto the roof at 6:11 p.m., where he spotted Crooks and immediately dropped to the ground.
FBI officials say 25 to 30 seconds later, Crooks fired eight rounds at Trump. He was then shot and killed by the Secret Service counter-sniper.
www.usatoday.com
Local Pennsylvania authorities released a one-page report Thursday outlining how the man who attempted to kill former President Donald Trump died.
Butler County Coroner William Young determined Thomas Crooks, 20, died from a single gunshot wound to the head at 6:25 p.m. on July 13. He ruled the official cause of death a homicide.
A counter-sniper team shot Crooks while on the white roof of the warehouse owned by AGR International near the rally site.
Butler County declined a request from the USA TODAY Network for a full copy of the autopsy results, citing the state’s record law that specifically exempts it. It is unknown whether officials tested Crooks for chemicals or medications as is standard in autopsy examinations.
Congressional oversight committees have been critical of federal officials for slowly releasing information about the shooting. In recent weeks, Sen. Chuck Grassley released a raft of local video and investigative materials publicly.
The autopsy does add one more specific to the timeline of the shooting released this week by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, which showed that local law enforcement had identified Crooks as suspicious shortly after 5 p.m., more than an hour before the shooting.
At around 5:30 p.m., SWAT operators saw him using a range finder and browsing news websites on his phone, then at 5:56 p.m. with a backpack.
Crooks was observed climbing HVAC piping outside the warehouse, and “traversed across multiple rooftops to his ultimate shooting position, leading a local police officer to be boosted onto the roof at 6:11 p.m., where he spotted Crooks and immediately dropped to the ground.
FBI officials say 25 to 30 seconds later, Crooks fired eight rounds at Trump. He was then shot and killed by the Secret Service counter-sniper.
Trump shooter autopsy reveals cause of death after attempted assassination
Butler County Coroner William Young released a one-page autopsy summary of the man who attempted to kill former President Donald Trump.
www.usatoday.com
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New bodycam footage shows moments before Trump rally shooting
Newly released footage from local Pennsylvania police reveals a clearer picture of the moments surrounding the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in July.
In one body-camera video, a local officer tells colleagues he told the US Secret Service ahead of time to secure the building the gunman used.
Another shows the moment an officer is hoisted on to a rooftop and lays eyes on the gunman, seconds before he opens fire at the Trump rally.
Trump was nicked by a bullet in the shooting, one person was killed and two others badly injured.
The body and dashboard footage was released on Thursday to US media outlets by the Butler Township Police Department.
They capture moments of frustration, confusion and miscommunication in the moments before and after the assassination attempt.
In one, a local officer said he had asked the Secret Service to man the building where the gunman had fired from, days before the rally.
“I told them they need to post guys over there," he said, according to one video obtained by the Wall Street Journal.
"I told them that [on] Tuesday."
The open-air rally took place on Saturday 13 July.
The officer appears angry as he tells his colleagues that he asked the Secret Service to secure the building.
“I talked to the Secret Service guys, they were like, ‘Yeah, no problem, we’re going to post guys over here,’” the officer says.
Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was shot and killed by the Secret Service counter-sniper team after he fired eight bullets in Trump’s direction from a rooftop just outside the rally's security perimeter.
The would-be assassin was on a building in what police have described as a "secondary ring", which was patrolled not by the Secret Service but by local and state officers.
Trump, who was on stage addressing supporters, was wounded in the ear before he ducked and Secret Service agents pulled him off stage.
In another video, a Butler County police officer is seen being hoisted up by a colleague on to the rooftop where he spots Crooks.
He quickly drops down when he sees the gunman is armed.
He is then seen running to the other side of the building and to his police car to retrieve a rifle.
Around 40 seconds after the officer first lays eyes on the gunman, Crooks fires at Trump.
The officer shouts to his colleague: "He's straight up ... Who's got eyes on him?"
The video then shows police officers trying to access the roof.
“He’s got glasses, long hair,” the officer who saw Crooks tells them, adding he has a book bag and an AR-style rifle.
After getting on the roof, the officers see Crooks’ body.
The first police officer is then heard saying: "I popped my head up there like an idiot by myself," adding that he "started calling out" that a gunman was on the roof.
"Were you on the same frequency?" he is heard asking, referring to the police radio.
In other footage, one officer reportedly appears confused as to why the rooftop was unmanned.
"I thought it was you! I thought you guys were on the roof!" He then swears in frustration and asked: "Why are we not on the roof?"
The Secret Service had posted three counter-snipers inside one of the adjacent buildings.
One of them had spotted Crooks earlier in the day following reports among the law enforcement on site of a suspicious person at the rally.
The Secret Service sniper then took a photo of Crooks before leaving his post to search for the suspect.
BBC News has not seen all the videos. Their contents were reported on by multiple US news outlet.
In a statement on Thursday, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the agency was reviewing the footage.
"The US Secret Service appreciates our local law enforcement partners, who acted courageously as they worked to locate the shooter that day," he said.
"The attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump was a US Secret Service failure, and we are reviewing and updating our protective policies and procedures in order to ensure a tragedy like this never occurs again."
The FBI is also investigating the incident, as is a bipartisan House panel made up of 13 lawmakers.
BBC
Newly released footage from local Pennsylvania police reveals a clearer picture of the moments surrounding the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in July.
In one body-camera video, a local officer tells colleagues he told the US Secret Service ahead of time to secure the building the gunman used.
Another shows the moment an officer is hoisted on to a rooftop and lays eyes on the gunman, seconds before he opens fire at the Trump rally.
Trump was nicked by a bullet in the shooting, one person was killed and two others badly injured.
The body and dashboard footage was released on Thursday to US media outlets by the Butler Township Police Department.
They capture moments of frustration, confusion and miscommunication in the moments before and after the assassination attempt.
In one, a local officer said he had asked the Secret Service to man the building where the gunman had fired from, days before the rally.
“I told them they need to post guys over there," he said, according to one video obtained by the Wall Street Journal.
"I told them that [on] Tuesday."
The open-air rally took place on Saturday 13 July.
The officer appears angry as he tells his colleagues that he asked the Secret Service to secure the building.
“I talked to the Secret Service guys, they were like, ‘Yeah, no problem, we’re going to post guys over here,’” the officer says.
Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was shot and killed by the Secret Service counter-sniper team after he fired eight bullets in Trump’s direction from a rooftop just outside the rally's security perimeter.
The would-be assassin was on a building in what police have described as a "secondary ring", which was patrolled not by the Secret Service but by local and state officers.
Trump, who was on stage addressing supporters, was wounded in the ear before he ducked and Secret Service agents pulled him off stage.
In another video, a Butler County police officer is seen being hoisted up by a colleague on to the rooftop where he spots Crooks.
He quickly drops down when he sees the gunman is armed.
He is then seen running to the other side of the building and to his police car to retrieve a rifle.
Around 40 seconds after the officer first lays eyes on the gunman, Crooks fires at Trump.
The officer shouts to his colleague: "He's straight up ... Who's got eyes on him?"
The video then shows police officers trying to access the roof.
“He’s got glasses, long hair,” the officer who saw Crooks tells them, adding he has a book bag and an AR-style rifle.
After getting on the roof, the officers see Crooks’ body.
The first police officer is then heard saying: "I popped my head up there like an idiot by myself," adding that he "started calling out" that a gunman was on the roof.
"Were you on the same frequency?" he is heard asking, referring to the police radio.
In other footage, one officer reportedly appears confused as to why the rooftop was unmanned.
"I thought it was you! I thought you guys were on the roof!" He then swears in frustration and asked: "Why are we not on the roof?"
The Secret Service had posted three counter-snipers inside one of the adjacent buildings.
One of them had spotted Crooks earlier in the day following reports among the law enforcement on site of a suspicious person at the rally.
The Secret Service sniper then took a photo of Crooks before leaving his post to search for the suspect.
BBC News has not seen all the videos. Their contents were reported on by multiple US news outlet.
In a statement on Thursday, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the agency was reviewing the footage.
"The US Secret Service appreciates our local law enforcement partners, who acted courageously as they worked to locate the shooter that day," he said.
"The attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump was a US Secret Service failure, and we are reviewing and updating our protective policies and procedures in order to ensure a tragedy like this never occurs again."
The FBI is also investigating the incident, as is a bipartisan House panel made up of 13 lawmakers.
BBC
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Trump, without evidence, blames Biden and Harris for assassination attempt
Ex-president claims Biden administration weaponized justice department and caused Secret Service staffing.Donald Trump has blamed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for last month’s failed assassination attempt against him by accusing them of making it difficult for the Secret Service to protect him.
The Republican presidential nominee’s claim – for which he offered no evidence – was made on the television talkshow Dr Phil, hosted by Phil McGraw, on Tuesday. The remarks follow disclosures that several Secret Service agents from the Pittsburgh field office had been placed on administrative leave after the 13 July shooting.
At a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last month, Trump was grazed on the ear by a bullet after a 20-year-old gunman opened fire from the roof of a nearby building. One rallygoer, Corey Comperatore, was killed and two others were seriously wounded. The gunman was shot dead by a Secret Service officer at the scene.
“When this happened, people would ask, whose fault is it?” Trump told McGraw. “I think to a certain extent it’s Biden’s fault and Harris’s fault. And I’m the opponent. They were weaponising government against me, they brought in the whole DoJ to try and get me, they weren’t too interested in my health and safety.
“They were making it very difficult to have proper staffing in terms of Secret Service.”The Secret Service admitted in the days after the attempt on Trump’s life that the former president’s security detail had complained about a lack of security and personnel in the previous two years, acknowledging that they denied some requests.
The agency’s protection of Trump has been stepped up since the episode, with agents being diverted from Biden’s previous campaign security detail.
The agency’s director, Kimberly Cheatle, resigned after a heated Capitol Hill hearing in which Republican members of Congress assailed her for failing to adequately answer questions over possible security failings leading to the attempt against Trump.
However, there has been no evidence that Biden and Harris, who both condemned the attempt, were directly involved in or interfered with the Secret Service’s arrangements.
Biden, who was still the Democratic presidential nominee at the time of the shooting before later withdrawing, made several public statements in its aftermath and called for a cooling down of the political rhetoric.
In his interview on Tuesday, Trump appeared to blame Biden and Harris for that rhetoric and suggested it may have inspired the attempt on his life.
“They’re saying I’m a threat to democracy,” he said. “They would say that, that was standard line, just keep saying it, and you know that can get assassins or potential assassins going. That’s a terrible thing … Maybe that bullet is because of their rhetoric.”
Source: The Guardian
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Trump rushed to safety as Secret Service opens fire on man with AK-47 near golf course
Donald Trump was rushed to safety by the Secret Service after agents spotted a man with an AK-47 near his golf course and agents opened fire, law enforcement sources said.
The former president was on the links at Trump International Golf Course West Palm Beach at the time, about 2 p.m. on Sunday. The gunman was spotted by an advance team several holes ahead of Trump, the sources told The Post.
It’s not clear whether the man was on the course or near it.
An agent opened fire, shooting multiple times.
“President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity. No further details at this time,” Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said Sunday afternoon.
nypost.com
Donald Trump was rushed to safety by the Secret Service after agents spotted a man with an AK-47 near his golf course and agents opened fire, law enforcement sources said.
The former president was on the links at Trump International Golf Course West Palm Beach at the time, about 2 p.m. on Sunday. The gunman was spotted by an advance team several holes ahead of Trump, the sources told The Post.
It’s not clear whether the man was on the course or near it.
An agent opened fire, shooting multiple times.
“President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity. No further details at this time,” Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said Sunday afternoon.
Trump rushed to safety as Secret Service opens fire on man with AK-47 near golf course
Donald Trump was rushed to safety by the Secret Service after agents spotted a man with an AK-47 near his golf course and agents opened fire, law enforcement sources said.
nypost.com
aboveandbeyond
Local Club Star
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America needs to sort out it's own house before interfering with others.
Right now, its far from a reflection of beacon, which is housing psycho paths every where.
Right now, its far from a reflection of beacon, which is housing psycho paths every where.
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Trump safe after second apparent assassination attempt, suspect in custody
Former United States President Donald Trump said he is “safe and well” after what authorities said appeared to be a second assassination attempt on the Republican candidate.
The FBI said it is investigating “what appears to be an attempted assassination” of Trump on Sunday after the Secret Service said it opened fire on a gunman at the former president’s golf resort in Florida.
“FEAR NOT! I am safe and well, and no one was hurt. Thank God!” Trump said in a statement on his fundraising website.
“But, there are people in this world who will do whatever it takes to stop us. I will not stop fighting for you. I will Never Surrender.”
“I will always love you for supporting me,” the statement added. “Through our UNITY we will Make America Great Again.”
FBI investigating ‘attempted assassination’
Trump had been golfing at his West Palm Beach course, not far from his Mar-a-Lago residence, during a day away from the presidential campaign.At a joint news conference involving the FBI, Secret Service and local officials, authorities said that a Secret Service agent, who was one hole ahead of Trump on the golf course, spotted a person with a firearm located near the boundary of the resort and fired in his direction.
It was unclear if the suspect fired back at the agent, officials added.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the suspect was 400 to 500 yards (365 to 457 metres) from Trump and it appeared he sought to film himself.
The suspect fled the wooded area in a black vehicle, but was quickly located and detained by law enforcement agencies, according to officials.
A backpack, GoPro camera, firearm scope and “AK-47-style rifle” were recovered from the scene, officials said.
“I would imagine the next time he comes on a golf course, there will probably be… more people around the perimeter,” Bradshaw told reporters.
“But the Secret Service did exactly what they should have done. They provided exactly what the protection should have been and their agents did a fantastic job.”
The New York Times and Fox News named the suspect as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, citing unnamed law enforcement officials.
The White House said that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, had both been briefed and would be kept updated on the investigation.
The White House added that both Biden and Harris were “relieved” to know Trump is safe.
“Violence has no place in America,” Harris said in a post on X.
Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, expressed relief that Trump had not been hurt.
“I’m glad President Trump is safe,” Vance said on X.
“I spoke to him before the news was public and he was, amazingly, in good spirits. Still much we don’t know, but I’ll be hugging my kids extra tight tonight and saying a prayer of gratitude.”
Fox News presenter Sean Hannity also said he had spoken to Trump and Steve Witkoff, a New York real estate investor who was with him on the golf course.
“When the president found out that everybody was safe and nobody had been harmed, I guess in typical ‘fight, fight, fight’ fashion, Trump said to Steve and he relayed it to me: ‘Ah, I really wanted to finish the hole. I was even, and I had a birdie putt,'” Hannity said.
The incident comes just two months after Trump was grazed by a bullet during an attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13.
Trump was wounded in his ear and one person attending the rally was killed in the attack.
The attacker, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, was killed by a Secret Service sniper.
The attack raised questions about protection for the candidates months out from the November 5 election between Trump and Harris.
Kimberly Cheatle was forced to resign as Secret Service director under bipartisan congressional pressure following the assassination attempt.
Ronald L Rowe Jr, the agency’s new acting director, said in August that he was “ashamed” of the security lapse that had led to the attack.
Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, who represents New York’s 21st District in the House of Representatives, said the incident raised further questions about the security around Trump.
“We must ask ourselves how an assassin was allowed to get this close to [former] President Trump again?” Stefanik said in a statement.
“There continues to be a lack of answers for the horrific assassination attempt in Pennsylvania and we expect there to be a clear explanation of what happened today in Florida.”
Trump safe after second apparent assassination attempt, suspect in custody
White House says President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris ‘relieved’ that Trump is unharmed.
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Who is suspect Ryan Wesley Routh?
The BBC's US partner, CBS News, has named the suspect as Ryan Wesley Routh, citing official sources, but what more do we know about him?
BBC Verify has found social media profiles matching that name, they indicate he called for foreign fighters to go to Ukraine to battle against Russian forces.
Routh, who had no military experience, told the New York Times in 2023 he had travelled to Ukraine immediately after Russia's invasion in 2022 to find military recruits among Afghan soldiers who had fled the Taliban.
"Soldiers, please do not call me. We are still trying to get Ukraine to accept Afghan soldiers and hope to have some answers in the coming months... please have patience," he wrote on Facebook in July.
Early reports suggest Routh had a criminal record and, according to CBS sources, he was charged and convicted of numerous felony offences - including carrying a concealed weapon.
Speaking to US media, Mr Routh's son, Oran, described him as a "loving and caring father".
BBC
The BBC's US partner, CBS News, has named the suspect as Ryan Wesley Routh, citing official sources, but what more do we know about him?
BBC Verify has found social media profiles matching that name, they indicate he called for foreign fighters to go to Ukraine to battle against Russian forces.
Routh, who had no military experience, told the New York Times in 2023 he had travelled to Ukraine immediately after Russia's invasion in 2022 to find military recruits among Afghan soldiers who had fled the Taliban.
"Soldiers, please do not call me. We are still trying to get Ukraine to accept Afghan soldiers and hope to have some answers in the coming months... please have patience," he wrote on Facebook in July.
Early reports suggest Routh had a criminal record and, according to CBS sources, he was charged and convicted of numerous felony offences - including carrying a concealed weapon.
Speaking to US media, Mr Routh's son, Oran, described him as a "loving and caring father".
BBC
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The suspected gunman in the apparent assassination attempt of former US President Donald Trump has appeared before a court in Florida
Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, is charged with federal gun crimes - possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obstructed serial number
Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, is charged with federal gun crimes - possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obstructed serial number
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Suspect in Trump assassination attempt may have lain in wait for 12 hours
A man suspected of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump was charged with two gun-related crimes in federal court on Monday, a day after being spotted with a rifle hiding in the bushes at the former U.S. president's golf course in Florida.
Phone records suggest the suspect may have been lying in wait for nearly 12 hours, camped out with a rifle and food, according to a criminal complaint filed on Monday.
More charges appear likely, but the initial counts - possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number - will allow authorities to keep him in custody as the investigation continues.
Trump, the Republican presidential candidate in the Nov. 5 election, was unharmed. But the incident raised fresh questions about how an armed suspect was able to get so close to him, just two months after another gunman fired at Trump during a July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing his ear with a bullet.
The U.S. Secret Service opened fire after an agent saw a rifle barrel poking out of the bushes on Sunday at Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach, a few hundred yards away from where the former president was playing.
The gunman fled in a sports utility vehicle, according to the complaint. Officers found a loaded assault-style rifle with a scope, a digital camera and a plastic bag of food left behind.
A man suspected of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump was charged with two gun-related crimes in federal court on Monday, a day after being spotted with a rifle hiding in the bushes at the former U.S. president's golf course in Florida.
Phone records suggest the suspect may have been lying in wait for nearly 12 hours, camped out with a rifle and food, according to a criminal complaint filed on Monday.
More charges appear likely, but the initial counts - possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number - will allow authorities to keep him in custody as the investigation continues.
Trump, the Republican presidential candidate in the Nov. 5 election, was unharmed. But the incident raised fresh questions about how an armed suspect was able to get so close to him, just two months after another gunman fired at Trump during a July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, grazing his ear with a bullet.
The U.S. Secret Service opened fire after an agent saw a rifle barrel poking out of the bushes on Sunday at Trump's golf course in West Palm Beach, a few hundred yards away from where the former president was playing.
The gunman fled in a sports utility vehicle, according to the complaint. Officers found a loaded assault-style rifle with a scope, a digital camera and a plastic bag of food left behind.
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Trump says he was bundled into golf cart after shots rang out
Donald Trump has recalled hearing shots fired by Secret Service agents at a would-be attacker hiding in the bushes at his Florida golf course on Sunday.
Speaking in a livestream on social media platform X, the Republican presidential candidate said he and a friend were "grabbed" by agents and bundled into golf carts as gunfire rang out.
Secret Service personnel several hundred metres away had spotted the barrel of a rifle poking out of foliage. After opening fire, agents pursued the suspect, who dropped his weapon and drove away, but was later arrested on a highway.
The suspect, 58-year-old Ryan Routh, did not fire any shots himself, the Secret Service has said.
Mr Routh appeared briefly in a Florida court Monday to face gun possession charges. Investigations by the FBI and the state of Florida continue.
Later on Tuesday, Trump is due to make his first in-person appearance since the incident at a "town hall" in Flint, Michigan, a crucial swing state where votes will help decide the presidential election.
His campaign schedule will not change, according to a source cited by the Reuters news agency.
In his account, Trump recalled that he and friend Steve Witkoff "heard shots being fired in the air, I guess probably four or five" as Secret Service agents on the course's next hole spotted the rifle and fired at the suspect.
The agents with Trump "knew immediately it was bullets, and they grabbed me", he said.
"We got into the carts and we moved along pretty, pretty good. I was with an agent, and the agent did a fantastic job," he said during the X Spaces event.
In comments to the Washington Post, he insisted that the incident, as well as an attempt on his life during a rally in Pennsylvania on 13 July, had not affected him.
"But people ask me that question a lot, and I try not to think about it," he said.
In a rare show of political unity, Trump also commended President Joe Biden for a "very nice" phone call after the apparent assassination attempt. The White House said Biden expressed his relief that Trump was safe.
Trump sought to blame the apparent attempt on "inflammatory language" from Democratic political rivals.
Authorities have not yet disclosed a potential motive for Routh, who has a history of legal problems and varied political affiliations.
Sunday's events came weeks after Trump was injured by a 20-year-old gunman who shot at him at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July.
The incident, which left a rally attendee dead, led to the resignation of the Security Service's director Kimberly Cheatle, and the beefing-up of Trump's security detail.
In Monday's remarks to the Washington Post, Trump said agents had taken a different approach during the second incident, choosing to evacuate him from the area with "rather quick golf carts", rather than jumping on him.
The second apparent attempt on Trump's life raised fresh questions from across the political spectrum about whether he is receiving enough protection. Biden has acknowledged that the agency "needs more help".
The Secret Service's acting head, Ronald Rowe, joined Trump in praising the actions of individual agents, and defended the level of security provided to the Republican.
In a news conference on Monday, he stressed that Trump had the "highest levels of protection" and that the agency's plan worked at it should have done on Sunday.
Mr Rowe also said the ex-president's trip to the golf course was not on his public schedule.
BBC
Donald Trump has recalled hearing shots fired by Secret Service agents at a would-be attacker hiding in the bushes at his Florida golf course on Sunday.
Speaking in a livestream on social media platform X, the Republican presidential candidate said he and a friend were "grabbed" by agents and bundled into golf carts as gunfire rang out.
Secret Service personnel several hundred metres away had spotted the barrel of a rifle poking out of foliage. After opening fire, agents pursued the suspect, who dropped his weapon and drove away, but was later arrested on a highway.
The suspect, 58-year-old Ryan Routh, did not fire any shots himself, the Secret Service has said.
Mr Routh appeared briefly in a Florida court Monday to face gun possession charges. Investigations by the FBI and the state of Florida continue.
Later on Tuesday, Trump is due to make his first in-person appearance since the incident at a "town hall" in Flint, Michigan, a crucial swing state where votes will help decide the presidential election.
His campaign schedule will not change, according to a source cited by the Reuters news agency.
In his account, Trump recalled that he and friend Steve Witkoff "heard shots being fired in the air, I guess probably four or five" as Secret Service agents on the course's next hole spotted the rifle and fired at the suspect.
The agents with Trump "knew immediately it was bullets, and they grabbed me", he said.
"We got into the carts and we moved along pretty, pretty good. I was with an agent, and the agent did a fantastic job," he said during the X Spaces event.
In comments to the Washington Post, he insisted that the incident, as well as an attempt on his life during a rally in Pennsylvania on 13 July, had not affected him.
"But people ask me that question a lot, and I try not to think about it," he said.
In a rare show of political unity, Trump also commended President Joe Biden for a "very nice" phone call after the apparent assassination attempt. The White House said Biden expressed his relief that Trump was safe.
Trump sought to blame the apparent attempt on "inflammatory language" from Democratic political rivals.
Authorities have not yet disclosed a potential motive for Routh, who has a history of legal problems and varied political affiliations.
Sunday's events came weeks after Trump was injured by a 20-year-old gunman who shot at him at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July.
The incident, which left a rally attendee dead, led to the resignation of the Security Service's director Kimberly Cheatle, and the beefing-up of Trump's security detail.
In Monday's remarks to the Washington Post, Trump said agents had taken a different approach during the second incident, choosing to evacuate him from the area with "rather quick golf carts", rather than jumping on him.
The second apparent attempt on Trump's life raised fresh questions from across the political spectrum about whether he is receiving enough protection. Biden has acknowledged that the agency "needs more help".
The Secret Service's acting head, Ronald Rowe, joined Trump in praising the actions of individual agents, and defended the level of security provided to the Republican.
In a news conference on Monday, he stressed that Trump had the "highest levels of protection" and that the agency's plan worked at it should have done on Sunday.
Mr Rowe also said the ex-president's trip to the golf course was not on his public schedule.
BBC
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Trump suspect left note outlining plan to kill him, prosecutors say
A suspected gunman arrested near Donald Trump's golf-course wrote a note months earlier saying he intended to kill the former president, a court filing shows.
"This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump," the note says.
In documents filed on Monday, prosecutors said the letter was dropped off at the home of a witness several months before the 15 September incident in Florida.
Ryan Routh, 58, is expected to appear at a federal court later on Monday and could face further charges.
www.bbc.com
A suspected gunman arrested near Donald Trump's golf-course wrote a note months earlier saying he intended to kill the former president, a court filing shows.
"This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump," the note says.
In documents filed on Monday, prosecutors said the letter was dropped off at the home of a witness several months before the 15 September incident in Florida.
Ryan Routh, 58, is expected to appear at a federal court later on Monday and could face further charges.
Trump suspect left note outlining plan to kill him - prosecutors
The letter was dropped off at the home of a witness several months before the 15 September incident in Florida.
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'It didn't have to happen': Wife of man killed at Trump rally struggles with loss
The wife of a former volunteer fire chief killed during July’s assassination attempt on Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, has told the BBC she is furious about the security failures that led to her husband’s killing by a rooftop gunman.
Corey Comperatore was shot dead after diving on members of his family to protect them as 20-year-old Thomas Crooks opened fire at the former president.
His wife Helen said she hasn’t been able to stop replaying the events of the day in her mind.
"I see it every time I close my eyes, and probably will for a long time" she said.
"I'm angry because there were a lot of mistakes made that day, and it didn't have to happen,” she added.
Helen Comperatore spoke exclusively to the BBC just days before Trump is set to return to Butler and the site of the shooting.
The home she shared with Corey in Sarver is less than 20 miles (32 km) from the Butler rally site, and close enough to the volunteer fire station where he worked for decades that when its sirens blare they can be easily heard.
Trump will hold a rally on Saturday on the same grounds where he was shot in the ear, before defiantly raising his fist and mouthing “Fight!’, in what has become a defining image of his campaign.
Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed in the shooting and two other people suffered “life-changing” injuries: 57-year-old David Dutch and 74-year-old James Copenhaver.
A Secret Service internal review has since identified a litany of security failures that day, including poor planning and a communication breakdown.
Corey, who was an ardent supporter of the current Republican presidential candidate, had been excited for the July rally, his wife said.
"He just liked how [Trump] got things done, and that he wasn't a politician and he didn't talk like one."
She said they believe Trump understands the lives people like them, in places like Butler, a working-class community just north of Pittsburgh.
At the rally, the family ended up by happenstance in the bleachers between Trump and the shooter.
They'd taken time to eat beforehand and missed the opening to get a seat - to Corey's disappointment. But then a man came by and offered them a spot in the stands.
About six minutes into Trump’s speech, Crooks fired eight shots from a roof just outside the rally’s perimeter, one striking Trump’s right ear and one striking and killing Corey as he sheltered his family.
In the months before her husband was killed, the couple spent every weekend on their boat.
"We loved that time together," Helen said.
"We talked about everything. We made a lot of future plans on that boat. I knew a lot about Corey and what his wishes were, if anything ever happened to him."
The couple had known one another their entire lives - they began attending school together as kindergartners.
She said her husband often appeared straight-faced and serious, but behind the façade was a deeply kind and caring man.
"As soon as he smiled, you knew he was a good, good man," she said.
"He did anything for his community. He loved his kids. His kids were everything to him."
His two daughters, Allyson and Kaylee, are nurses and struggling to get back to work while they grieve their dad, Helen said.
She said now the questions of "What would he want me to do? What would Corey do?" help guide her.
"It's definitely a struggle. I realised I always knew he took care of me, but I never realised just how much. I just miss him," she said.
Corey Comperatore was honoured at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in July, with his helmet and coat displayed on stage as Trump spoke.
Helen said at the July rally, Corey had hoped - and joked - that Trump might call him on stage.
The family watched the RNC moment on television, after Trump told Helen about the planned tribute.
"And I just cried because I said he got his moment on stage with Trump," she said. "So, you know, it was kind of like a nice moment, but it was a sad moment at the same time."
Family of Corey Comperatore, Trump rallygoer shot dead, struggles with loss
Corey Comperatore was killed in the Trump rally assassination attempt. His wife is furious at the security failures that led to his death.
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Time stood still, Trump says at site of assassination attempt
Nearly three months after an assassin’s bullet came close to taking his life, former President Donald Trump returned to Butler, Pennsylvania - a place of "tragedy and heartache" - to promise his supporters victory in the 5 November presidential election.
One person - a volunteer fire chief - was killed in the 13 July shooting, which also left two bystanders seriously wounded and Trump shot in the ear.
“For 15 seconds, time stood still,” Trump told the crowd. “This vicious monster unleashed evil… the villain did not succeed in his goal.”
For Saturday's rally, though, security was tight - a result of increased scrutiny of the Secret Service in the wake of two attempts on Trump’s life - the second last month at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Also in attendance were Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, as well as son Eric Trump, daughter-in-law Lara Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk, who endorsed Trump after the earlier shooting.
Trump largely stuck to familiar talking points during his speech, railing against the “corrupt system”, promising to bring “respect” back to US foreign policy and vowing to shut the “open border”, which he claims is a source of crime.
“You deserve a government that protects and respects its own citizens, and defends your sovereignty, your security, your dignity and your freedom,” he told the thousands gathered at the showgrounds in Butler to large applause.
He also struck out at his political opponents, accusing them of “slandering” him and attempting to interfere in the election, and “who knows - maybe even tried to kill me.”
“But I’ve never stopped fighting for you,” he added. “Never will.”
Trump repeatedly referenced the previous shooting, and the event included a moment of silence for Corey Competore, the volunteer firefighter who was killed in the July shooting.
“He’s become somewhat of a folk hero,” Trump added. “Our beautiful Corey.”
The former president had fulsome praise for Elon Musk and went out of his way to invite him to the stage.
The tech billionaire told the crowd he thought this was "the most important election of our lifetime" and exhorted voters to register and elect Trump.
Between 25,000 and 30,000 people were expected at the rally, which snarled traffic to a standstill in the rural town north of Pittsburgh for the entirety of Saturday. Many waited for as many as 10 hours in harsh sun to be let in past a long string of vendors selling Trump-Vance campaign flags, hats, signs and orange wigs meant to emulate the former president.
“I certainly admire his willingness to come back here and give the speech he was denied last time,” said Teresa Wilson, a former US Marine who also attended the previous rally on 13 July.
“I’d understand if he avoided coming back - I know some spectators who didn’t want to return, and some who were very apprehensive,” she added. “If he can stand in the place of the previous attempt, then we as his constituency can certainly show up to offer our support.”
With just 31 days to go until Americans vote, polls show Trump and Kamala Harris in a tight race in Pennsylvania - a hotly contested battleground state that could prove pivotal.
Data from the New York Times and Siena College, for example, shows the two nearly deadlocked in a tie, 49% to 48% in Harris’s favour.
In dozens of interviews with Trump supporters at the rally, most identified the economy - particularly inflation - as their primary concern ahead of the election.
“We’re not being taken care of. People can’t afford food. They can barely afford gas [petrol],” said Jessenia Anderson, a voter who was at the rally wearing a red "Latinas for Trump" T-shirt. “I have a family, but I find myself making cheaper [meals], buying cheaper things.”
Others - such as rapper Sean Moon, a Tennessee voter - pointed to the US-Mexico border and concern over immigration as the main reason they supported the former president.
Migrant crossings over the US southern border hit record levels under the Biden-Harris administration but the numbers have dropped significantly in recent months.
“That’s an existential threat for this country,” said Mr Moon, the son of a North Korean refugee, about migrant crossings. The event in Butler, he said, was his 15th consecutive Trump rally.
“There are people coming in without being vetted. They tell untruths and get rewarded for it."
BBC
Nearly three months after an assassin’s bullet came close to taking his life, former President Donald Trump returned to Butler, Pennsylvania - a place of "tragedy and heartache" - to promise his supporters victory in the 5 November presidential election.
One person - a volunteer fire chief - was killed in the 13 July shooting, which also left two bystanders seriously wounded and Trump shot in the ear.
“For 15 seconds, time stood still,” Trump told the crowd. “This vicious monster unleashed evil… the villain did not succeed in his goal.”
For Saturday's rally, though, security was tight - a result of increased scrutiny of the Secret Service in the wake of two attempts on Trump’s life - the second last month at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Also in attendance were Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, as well as son Eric Trump, daughter-in-law Lara Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk, who endorsed Trump after the earlier shooting.
Trump largely stuck to familiar talking points during his speech, railing against the “corrupt system”, promising to bring “respect” back to US foreign policy and vowing to shut the “open border”, which he claims is a source of crime.
“You deserve a government that protects and respects its own citizens, and defends your sovereignty, your security, your dignity and your freedom,” he told the thousands gathered at the showgrounds in Butler to large applause.
He also struck out at his political opponents, accusing them of “slandering” him and attempting to interfere in the election, and “who knows - maybe even tried to kill me.”
“But I’ve never stopped fighting for you,” he added. “Never will.”
Trump repeatedly referenced the previous shooting, and the event included a moment of silence for Corey Competore, the volunteer firefighter who was killed in the July shooting.
“He’s become somewhat of a folk hero,” Trump added. “Our beautiful Corey.”
The former president had fulsome praise for Elon Musk and went out of his way to invite him to the stage.
The tech billionaire told the crowd he thought this was "the most important election of our lifetime" and exhorted voters to register and elect Trump.
Between 25,000 and 30,000 people were expected at the rally, which snarled traffic to a standstill in the rural town north of Pittsburgh for the entirety of Saturday. Many waited for as many as 10 hours in harsh sun to be let in past a long string of vendors selling Trump-Vance campaign flags, hats, signs and orange wigs meant to emulate the former president.
“I certainly admire his willingness to come back here and give the speech he was denied last time,” said Teresa Wilson, a former US Marine who also attended the previous rally on 13 July.
“I’d understand if he avoided coming back - I know some spectators who didn’t want to return, and some who were very apprehensive,” she added. “If he can stand in the place of the previous attempt, then we as his constituency can certainly show up to offer our support.”
With just 31 days to go until Americans vote, polls show Trump and Kamala Harris in a tight race in Pennsylvania - a hotly contested battleground state that could prove pivotal.
Data from the New York Times and Siena College, for example, shows the two nearly deadlocked in a tie, 49% to 48% in Harris’s favour.
In dozens of interviews with Trump supporters at the rally, most identified the economy - particularly inflation - as their primary concern ahead of the election.
“We’re not being taken care of. People can’t afford food. They can barely afford gas [petrol],” said Jessenia Anderson, a voter who was at the rally wearing a red "Latinas for Trump" T-shirt. “I have a family, but I find myself making cheaper [meals], buying cheaper things.”
Others - such as rapper Sean Moon, a Tennessee voter - pointed to the US-Mexico border and concern over immigration as the main reason they supported the former president.
Migrant crossings over the US southern border hit record levels under the Biden-Harris administration but the numbers have dropped significantly in recent months.
“That’s an existential threat for this country,” said Mr Moon, the son of a North Korean refugee, about migrant crossings. The event in Butler, he said, was his 15th consecutive Trump rally.
“There are people coming in without being vetted. They tell untruths and get rewarded for it."
BBC
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Man with weapons including high-capacity magazine stopped at checkpoint near Donald Trump rally
Police officers in California arrested a man with weapons near a rally being held by Donald Trump, it has emerged.
The 49-year-old man was found in possession of a shotgun, a loaded handgun and high-capacity magazine on Saturday afternoon local time.
Officers stopped him at a checkpoint near the rally in Coachella in a black SUV before Donald Trump arrived.
Local paper The Press-Enterprise quoted Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco as saying: "We probably stopped another assassination attempt."
However, a source familar with the incident said: "There was no assassination attempt in [California] yesterday.
"A man at a perimeter checkpoint had a gun but there was no incident."
The Secret Service said it is investigating.
news.sky.com
Police officers in California arrested a man with weapons near a rally being held by Donald Trump, it has emerged.
The 49-year-old man was found in possession of a shotgun, a loaded handgun and high-capacity magazine on Saturday afternoon local time.
Officers stopped him at a checkpoint near the rally in Coachella in a black SUV before Donald Trump arrived.
Local paper The Press-Enterprise quoted Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco as saying: "We probably stopped another assassination attempt."
However, a source familar with the incident said: "There was no assassination attempt in [California] yesterday.
"A man at a perimeter checkpoint had a gun but there was no incident."
The Secret Service said it is investigating.
Man with weapons including high-capacity magazine stopped at checkpoint near Donald Trump rally
A man with a shotgun and a loaded handgun was arrested at a security checkpoint outside Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday night.
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US charges Iranian man in plot to kill Donald Trump, Justice Dept says
The United States has charged an Iranian man in connection with an alleged plot ordered by Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards Corps to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump, the Justice Department said on Friday.
In a statement, the department said that Farhad Shakeri had informed law enforcement "that he was tasked on October 7, 2024, with providing a plan to kill" Trump, the department said. Shakeri allegedly told law enforcement he had no plans to formulate a plan to kill Trump within the IRGC's timeline.
The department described Shakeri, 51, as an IRGC asset residing in Tehran. It said he immigrated to the U.S. as a child and was deported in or about 2008 following a robbery conviction. Shakeri is at large and believed to be in Iran, the prosecutors said.
Two New York residents whom Shakeri had met in prison, Carlisle Rivera and Jonathan Loadholt, have also been charged for helping Shakeri plot to kill a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin in New York, described as an outspoken critic of Iran's government who had previously been targeted for murder.
The United States has charged an Iranian man in connection with an alleged plot ordered by Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards Corps to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump, the Justice Department said on Friday.
In a statement, the department said that Farhad Shakeri had informed law enforcement "that he was tasked on October 7, 2024, with providing a plan to kill" Trump, the department said. Shakeri allegedly told law enforcement he had no plans to formulate a plan to kill Trump within the IRGC's timeline.
The department described Shakeri, 51, as an IRGC asset residing in Tehran. It said he immigrated to the U.S. as a child and was deported in or about 2008 following a robbery conviction. Shakeri is at large and believed to be in Iran, the prosecutors said.
Two New York residents whom Shakeri had met in prison, Carlisle Rivera and Jonathan Loadholt, have also been charged for helping Shakeri plot to kill a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin in New York, described as an outspoken critic of Iran's government who had previously been targeted for murder.
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