A bullet grazed his ear, narrowly missing his head.
“I truly believe my life was spared that day in Butler for a greater purpose,” Trump declared during a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night. “God saved me so I could continue the mission of making America great again. I have no doubt about that.”
His remarks were met with applause from Republican lawmakers, as he acknowledged that a mere fraction of an inch had made the difference between life and death.
“I was incredibly fortunate, but not everyone was,” he said solemnly.
Among the victims that day was 50-year-old retired fire chief Corey Comperatore, who was struck by gunfire while shielding his wife and daughters. Authorities later confirmed he did not survive.
“When the gunshots rang out—it was a terrible sound—Corey knew instantly what was happening and what he had to do,” Trump said. “Without hesitation, he threw himself over his wife and daughters, using his own body to protect them. He took the bullet meant for them. He sacrificed his life so they could live.”
During his address, Trump turned to Comperatore’s grieving wife, Helen, and their daughters, Allison and Kaylee, who were in attendance. He assured them that Comperatore’s bravery would never be forgotten.
“Right now, Corey is looking down on you—his three beautiful girls—and he is so proud,” Trump told them. “He loves you, and he is cheering you on. He was taken from us far too soon, but his legacy will forever shine as a symbol of selfless patriotism. It is love like Corey’s that built this nation, and it is love like his that will make America stronger than ever before.”
Trump then took a moment to express his deep gratitude to God, crediting divine protection for his survival.
This wasn’t the first time he had spoken about the incident in such terms.
Shortly after the attack, which took place on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump called it a miracle that he had instinctively turned his head at the precise moment needed to avoid a fatal shot.
“For those who don’t believe in God, let me tell you—there’s only one explanation for what happened,” he told a crowd at a Montana campaign event a month after the shooting. “The odds of surviving that were almost nonexistent.”
He then added, “By the way, being president is a dangerous job. People don’t talk about it enough, but it’s one of the most dangerous professions out there.”
Authorities reported that two other people were seriously wounded in the attack. The suspected gunman, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot and killed on the scene by a Secret Service counter-sniper.