Former United States President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump recalled the shocking second assassination bid on his life on Sunday at his golf course in Florida.
Trump said he and his friend were "grabbed" by agents and bundled into golf carts as gunfire rang out.
Around 100 metres away, Secret Service agents had spotted the barrel of a rifle poking out of the foliage. Immediately, the agents pursued the suspect, who dropped his weapon and drove away.
Rather than jumping on me, like the last time, this time they decided to evacuate me from the area in the golf carts, said Trump.
The former US president said he had heard shots being "fired in the air". Probably around five shots were fired, he added.
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I would like to thank everyone for your concern and well wishes - It was certainly an interesting day! Most importantly, I want to thank the U.S. Secret Service, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and his Office of brave and dedicated Patriots, and, all of Law Enforcement, for the incredible…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 16, 2024
The agents immediately knew it was bullets and they grabbed me, he recalled.
"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.
Suspected gunman Ryan Wesley Routh was arrested by police on Sunday and is facing federal charges of improperly possessing a gun and carrying a gun with a "defaced serial number".
FBI has launched a detailed investigation into the incident. They are yet to identify the motive behind the assassination attempt.
Meanwhile, after the second assassination attempt, Trump is due to make his first in-person appearance in Michigan, a crucial swing state.
Trump appreciated Biden’s phone call
Trump also appreciated US President Joe Biden's phone call. "He was very nice today, he called up to make sure I was OK, to make sure, (and ask) do I have any suggestions. We do need more people on my detail, because we have 50,000, 60,000 people showing up to events, and, you know, other people don't have that, but he couldn't have been nicer," said Trump.
Earlier, Trump blamed Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for the second assassination attempt targeting him. While speaking to Fox News, Trump said the Democrats have instigated violence by saying he was a threat to American democracy.
"Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country, and they are the ones that are destroying the country – both from the inside and out,” Trump said.
He also said the shooter believed the rhetoric of Biden and Harris and acted on it.
In July, Trump got injured in an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
