Former US president Donald Trump told the New York Post on Sunday that he believed he “was supposed to be dead” following the assassination attempt, describing the incident as a “very surreal experience.”
“I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,” Trump told the Post in an interview aboard his way to Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention, where he is expected to be confirmed as the party’s presidential candidate.
It was a “very surreal experience” he recounted with a white bandage covering his right ear, the paper said.
During a campaign rally on Saturday, the 78-year-old Trump was struck in the ear by a gunman, resulting in a bloodied face. Tragically, a bystander was killed and two others were wounded in the incident.
Trump informed the Post that he believes he would not have survived if he hadn’t tilted his head slightly to the right to read a chart on illegal immigrants while speaking at the rally.
“By luck or by God, many people are saying it’s by God I’m still here,” he said.
He praised the Secret Service agents for killing the shooter.
“They took him out with one shot right between the eyes,” he said.
“They did a fantastic job,” he added. “It’s surreal for all of us.”
The image of Trump raising a defiant fist as Secret Service agents swiftly escorted him away made headlines worldwide and quickly circulated on social media.
“A lot of people say it’s the most iconic photo they’ve ever seen,” the former president told the Post, adding “They’re right and I didn’t die. Usually you have to die to have an iconic picture.”
After the attempt on his life, Trump stated that he was rewriting the speech he had originally prepared for the Republican convention.
He said he had “prepared an extremely tough speech” about Biden’s “horrible administration. But I threw it away” for one he hopes will “unite our country.”
“But I don’t know if that’s possible. People are very divided.”
