Returning to the location of the incident, far beyond Pittsburgh and across the borders of Mason-Dixon. Early on a misty Saturday morning, the only visible mode of transportation belonged to the Mongols motorcycle group from Virginia. Dressed in matching leather, they were likely travelling towards the distant northwestern part of Pennsylvania to Butler’s farm festival field, where Donald Trump was scheduled to give his second summer rally.
This area is the same where a 20-year-old man, Thomas Crooks, attempted a shot at gaining fame by firing several rounds of semi-automatic rifle, narrowly missing the ex-president’s ear but fatally wounding an attendee named Corey Comperatore on the 13th of July.
Crooks almost joined the ominous list of presidential assassins. Trump moved his head just in time, and Crooks, taken down by marksmen seconds after firing his shots, quickly became a meme and a minor character in a bitter election summer.
Back to the flashback of that day and the subsequent ones, when the horrifying act of violence provoked a hope, expressed by Trump, that he wished to bring the nation together. Once again in Butler, where those living along Buttercup Road offer hassle-free parking for $40 and the vast, sunken field where this tragic incident occurred is filled with the MAGA faithful well before noon. The ex-president isn’t scheduled to speak until 5pm, known for his tendency to be fashionably tardy, still, no one wants to risk missing it.
Loren Stephenson, a Butler local, views Trump’s return as a form of vindication. She was present in the crowd on July 13th with her brother Mark. Like many attendees, they eagerly awaited this event.
“This event holds tremendous significance,” Mark Stephenson reveals. “We despised the idea of our hometown being infamous for an attempt on the president’s life, his return, therefore, means a lot.”
After a brief pause, he adds, “This could possibly be one of the last times, we see this man alive.”
The possibility of this being among the last elections we could participate in may shock many! The thought of winning Trump as our President-elect has a possibility of resulting in unrest across all major cities. There’s an ongoing discussion on a Bill to limit Trump’s capability to declare insurrection following such events and plans are brewing to delegitimize him prior to formal inauguration. This is entirely unlawful, but it seems we’ve already crossed that bridge. Alternatively, the election could be swindled in favour of Kamala leaving us bereft of our nation. No matter the outcome, a fresh path is imminent. States and regions will have to rally together, for reliance on the federal government is proving futile.
Listening attentively, his sister comments, “My outlook is somewhat more hopeful.”
The Stephenson siblings recall being proximate to the location when Crooks’ gunshots echoed over them, recounting their initial confusion – the incorrect assumption that they were firecrackers, the sudden influx of Secret Service agents, urgent shouts to get down, and then the horrifying realisation that something terrible was happening. Trump’s instinctive reaction viewed later on the television, with his fist in the air against the backdrop of the Stars and Stripes beneath a blue sky, only added to their bafflement.
“We were right next to the site questioning the absence of security around the building. Many queries remain unanswered,” remarks Loren Stephenson.
“As a lifelong independent here, one could be deemed insane not to find the day’s sequence of events peculiar,” she adds.
Her brother chimes in, ”There was a lot of bizarre stuff that occurred on 13th July.”
Since that fateful day, its echoes meander freely beneath the early October sun among the food stalls. Scores of supporters wearing ‘I was here’ T-shirts reminisce, pointing towards the sheds situated behind the stage area, imagining the rooftop where Crooks once lay.
Several humbling tributes in memory of Cory Comperatore and to honour the numerous medical and security personnel in service that day continue to resonate. At approximately 3:30 pm, myriad supporters aim their mobile phones skyward to capture the awe-inspiring scene of the Trump airplane soaring above. JD Vance, the vice-presidential nominee appears on the stage scarcely an hour later.
During the VP debate in New York on Tuesday night, Vance, in a display critics acknowledged as icily effective, chose to project a more agreeable impression towards Tim Walz. However, he reverted back to his aggressive stance in his subsequent address, causing the audience to recall the events following July 13th and attributing the decline in the election campaign’s civility to the Democrats.
He said, “Regrettably, the adversaries have failed to heed the wisdom of Abraham Lincoln, ignoring the appeal to the nobler instincts within us. Despite the dreadful murder attempt which claimed one life and nearly led to multiple casualties, they persist in employing hazardous provocative language. The media still labels Donald Trump, the actual winner of the primary, as a menace to democracy.
“Donald Trump was deemed a fundamental risk to our democracy by a Democratic senator. Kamala Harris accuses him of undermining our democracy’s bedrock. I suspect we can all concur in reprimanding Kamala Harris: how dare you speak of threats to democracy. Donald Trump put himself in harm’s way for the sake of democracy. What significant contribution have you made?”
The crowd responded with applause. The nature of Vance’s speech here seemed to validate the recent shift in electoral moods. The excitement brought about by the Democratic party after Harris succeeded Joe Biden as the nominee left the Trump camp in a state of disarray for over a month. But current polls suggest a fiercely tight contest and the past week has seen the Democrats express concern that the remarkable momentum gained at the convention in Chicago seems to be waning, while Trump and Vance appear to have regained their footing.
By coming back to this location, the site of the shooting, the audience’s commitment to their cause has been rekindled. Awaiting Trump’s arrival, James Miller, a retired individual from Chicora, mentioned that he had never experienced such a political atmosphere before.
He commented, “The Democrats as a collective are currently carrying out actions and getting away scot-free owing to those in higher positions of power. It’s disheartening to see that they are violating the sacred oath they swore to safeguard the United States. Their acts counter the Constitution. They are manipulating the situation to retain power at any cost.”
In my perception – I may be completely off base – their plan is to usher all these immigrants in, then tell them: you’re here, so you can vote. While tuning into tele recently, I learnt they’ve withdrawn $1.5 billion from Fema [Federal Emergency Management Agency], an organisation dedicated to assisting during America’s calamities, to support those here illegally.
It was a scorching day, particularly for October. Many Trump supporters had arrived at the crack of dawn. The staging area was very much a natural amphitheatre, akin to northwestern Pennsylvania’s version of Breffni Park. Being a follower of Donald Trump demands immense energy, as well as an endless fondness for mainline classic rock conveyed through low-quality speakers. Just before six in the evening, Trump finally made his entrance.
“Greatly appreciated. A hearty thank you to Pennsylvania…” he declared, putting a halt when the graphic about border patrols – the one that had saved his life by distracting him right as Crooks shot – was played again on the field’s big screen. Then he proceeded, “As I was mentioning”.
The instant was gracefully executed, earning roars of approval. And, as simple as that, the circle closed. The bullet had gone astray.
Over the following 90 minutes, they put on quite a show for the audience: the chiming of the bells; a tenor; Elon Musk – described as “skilled with rockets” by Trump earlier this year when their rapport was burgeoning; yet, regrettably, not so skilled when it comes to public speaking. The crowd didn’t seem to know how to respond to the visibly anxious and incessantly chuckling billionaire reminding them that Republicans need their votes.
Despite this, once the sun had vanished, it was undeniably Donald Trump’s night. He transitioned into what now appears to be a customary tirade, employing a similar lilting tone as he went from painting all illegal immigrants as homicidal maniacs, to pointedly critiquing teleprompters’ reliability, to issuing a warning about the threat poised by “ultra leftist” Kamala, and finally levelling unfounded accusations of government negligence in North Carolina’s hurricane relief efforts.
His message will remain the same until November 5th. And the majority of the audience stayed put until the end.
Numerous individuals departed earlier, hasty to locate their vehicles in the remaining daylight. As they ventured across the expanses towards the row on row of parked cars and lorries, bypassing the infinite line of merchandise kiosks and distancing themselves from the former site of July’s narrowly escaped disaster, they tuned in to Trump on their mobiles.
It was a perhaps healing ritual on this radiant day for the Republicans residing in this section of Pennsylvania. It offered them the opportunity to revisit a day that almost resulted in a psychological blow to the socio-political fabric of America, but instead became enshrined in Trump lore.
The crowd clung on to Trump’s words as he reassured them, “I just have to express to you that I come back to Butler following a period of sorrow and unrest to relay a straightforward message to Pennsylvanians and fellow Americans… our campaign to rebuild a stronger and prouder America is in full swing.”
He proceeded with his discourse, continuing until darkness began to fall in Butler – and the temperature started to drop.