The artwork is displayed in the Grand Foyer. Radiating vibrant boldness, it portrays the moment Donald J. Trump, encircled by Secret Service personnel and with blood running down his face, raised his fist triumphantly after the incident in Butler, Pa. Serving as the ultimate representation of Trump’s endurance, this image embodies the core elements of his resurgence: a sense of being wronged, power, and resistance.
However, for the President and his supporters, it also acts as a guiding principle for his radical and confrontational second-term program. One year later, this event continues to be the pivotal point for Trump and the Make America Great Again movement he champions. Images and drawings of the July 13, 2024, scene have since been marketed on holiday decorations, vehicle magnets, and apparel. They have featured prominently on the front of books and periodicals. Furthermore, they have become an integral part of the MAGA narrative. “The MAGA movement interprets this very clearly and potently: Divine intervention occurred on the fields of Butler,” states Steve Bannon, Trump’s former lead strategist. “Trump was preserved to achieve significant accomplishments.”
Even the most imaginative individuals in America would find it challenging to envision the fortunate circumstances that preserved Trump’s life. A minor movement of his head just as the assailant fired—while Trump was indicating a chart about unauthorized border entries—resulted in the bullet striking his ear rather than his brain. “I was incredibly fortunate,” Trump later confided in his family. After he crouched down and the Secret Service incapacitated the attacker, Trump reappeared from behind a barrier of agents, raising his fist and urging the enthusiastic crowd: “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
Individuals connected to Trump suggest that this incident has encouraged him to undertake one of the most transformative presidencies in American history: his initial six months in office have been characterized by a rapid succession of power assertions, attacks on adversaries, economically impactful tariffs, and even a military engagement with Iran. He has weakened government bodies and divisions and has entered into conflict with key U.S. institutions, ranging from academic establishments and media outlets to legal practices and cultural centers. “It has made him more assertive,” comments Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna of Florida. “It truly shaped his presidency.”
This event also served as a pivotal shift in the electoral campaign. Following the attempted assassination, Trump garnered backing from previous detractors and prominent business leaders. (Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who had recent disagreements with Trump, publicly endorsed him within an hour of the incident, and contributed over $250 million to a super PAC.) Consequently, Trump was able to expand beyond his core supporters and forge a coalition that propelled him to a second term and provided him with authority to govern. “That was a significant occasion,” Trump told TIME in November. “That was a terrible day, a dreadful moment for our nation, but I believe it altered many perspectives.”
The subsequent campaign period remained unpredictable. Days afterward, Trump engineered a victorious entrance at the Republican National Convention, displaying a bandage on his ear to an invigorated audience. Soon after the GOP gathering ended, then-President Joe Biden, still impacted by a weak debate showing weeks prior, withdrew. Despite an immediate increase in support for his chosen successor, Vice President Kamala Harris was unable to overcome Trump’s undeniable momentum, as he conducted a more organized campaign than in past attempts.
The incident in Butler was not Trump’s sole encounter with a near-fatal event. In September, the Secret Service prevented another assassination attempt targeting Trump while he was playing golf at the Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida. “This implies I should refrain from playing golf,” for the remainder of the election, he informed his campaign manager Susie Wiles, stating he should be “committing all of my focus” to the campaign. “His entire demeanor following the assassination attempt, I believe, made a significant impact,” Wiles conveyed to TIME last year.
Furthermore, it has influenced his approach to his second term, according to those near him. Both detractors and proponents have been left astonished by the speed with which he has endeavored to disrupt American governance and society. Critics contend that Trump has grown only more perilous, pursuing extreme concepts unchecked. Following two impeachments, an assault on the Capitol, four indictments, and two assassination attempts, they are concerned that Trump can now function in the current Washington political climate with almost no repercussions.
Trump’s proponents view his close call with death as the instant he gained the nation’s favor. “It’s characteristic of Donald Trump,” states Lara Trump, the President’s daughter-in-law who co-led the Republican National Committee last year. “Most individuals would have concluded this isn’t worthwhile. I’m not going to endure this. Attempts have been made on my life.”
With his return to the White House, numerous members of the MAGA movement perceive his rise as a type of fitting retribution, particularly as he advances his America First agenda within a governmental framework that imposes fewer limitations on his authority. “He is the singular individual who would have never given up regardless of circumstances,” remarks Lara Trump. “Clearly, it yielded immense rewards.”