Salena Zito, a journalist present during the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt on Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, revealed previously undisclosed details about the former president’s actions and mindset in the immediate aftermath. In her book Butler: The Untold Story of the Near Assassination of Donald Trump and the Fight for America’s Heartland, Zito writes that Trump’s decision to stand up after being shot was driven by his belief that “I did not want to be the symbol of America being weak”. This resolve came moments before he raised his fist and mouthed the now-iconic “Fight! Fight! Fight!” rallying cry.
Zito, who was standing just four feet from Trump when the gunfire erupted, described the former president as “calm” and focused in the chaos. She noted that Trump to the crowd as Secret Service agents rushed him offstage, a moment that galvanized supporters. In later conversations with Trump, Zito reported that he attributed his survival to divine intervention, telling her: .
The book also highlights Trump’s connection to the working-class voters of Butler County, whom he credited with his political resilience. Zito’s reporting underscores Trump’s view that rural communities like Butler—not coastal elites—hold the key to understanding his electoral success.
As for the query about Butler’s history of political violence: While Zito’s book title references the “near assassination,” the search results do not explicitly mention previous presidential shooting attempts in Butler. This detail may require consulting additional historical sources or the full text of her book.
The assassination attempt, which left one attendee dead and two critically injured, exposed major Secret Service failures, including a lack of coordination with local law enforcement and inadequate security planning. Trump later returned to Butler for a rally in October 2024, where he thanked first responders and the community.
