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Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attends a town hall meeting moderated by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders at the Dort Financial Center in Flint, Michigan, on September 17, 2024. (Photo by JEFF KOWALSKY / AFP)
Former President Donald Trump is set to speak in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, a location that holds a dark significance as the site of a failed assassination attempt against him in July.
This return rally comes one month before the presidential election, with Trump’s campaign marred by ongoing security threats and the spectre of political violence.
Trump’s speech will take place behind protective glass, a stark reminder of the heightened security concerns following two assassination attempts in recent months. The most recent attempt, which was foiled last month, has underscored persistent fears for the former president’s safety.
Security at the rally is notably tighter, with sniper squads stationed on nearby buildings and surveillance drones monitoring the area. This follows the July incident, where a gunman managed to fire eight shots at Trump before being shot dead by Secret Service agents.
Two supporters were injured during the attack, and firefighter Corey Comperatore tragically lost his life. The incident also led to the resignation of Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, ten days after the attack.
Heather Hughes, a supporter at the rally, reflected the anxieties shared by many in the crowd. “Do I think he’s safe? No, I think there’s going to be another attempt. But I think he’s going to make it through,” she told AFP.
Trump’s supporters have embraced the former president’s narrative of defiance. Pictures of him, blood-streaked and shouting “fight, fight, fight” as Secret Service agents rushed him away during the July attack, have become rallying images for his campaign. Many attendees on Saturday donned shirts bearing assassination iconography, with some referencing the bandage Trump wore after the shooting.
Despite the growing tensions and the added security, Trump has continued to use the assassination attempt as a political rallying point, claiming he “took a bullet for democracy.” The former president remains a central figure in the ongoing political landscape, despite the violence and controversies surrounding his campaign.
Trump’s return to Butler comes as the presidential race sees significant shifts. Following the failed assassination attempt in July, President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, and Vice President Kamala Harris took over as the Democratic nominee. Harris has since clawed back in the polls, even reversing Trump’s lead in some key states.
Trump’s campaign is pushing to regain momentum, bringing along running mate J.D. Vance to the rally, while billionaire Elon Musk also hinted at addressing the crowd via his social media platform X.
As the election draws near, Trump remains at the center of a deeply polarized race, with the looming threat of further violence casting a shadow over the final weeks of the campaign. Asked on Friday about the possibility of more election-related violence, President Biden expressed uncertainty, telling AFP, “I don’t know if the vote will be peaceful.”
For Trump’s supporters, however, the former president’s resilience in the face of danger continues to fuel their devotion.
“He said he’d come back to finish his speech, and to me that takes guts,” said local rally-goer Robert Dupain, recalling Trump’s promise after the July attack.
