Former US president Donald Trump is alleged to have been the target of an assassination attempt during his election rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. The attack was captured by Doug Mills, a veteran photojournalist for The New York Times, who was positioned just feet away from the former president. Mills’ remarkable photos, published by the NYT, show a bullet whizzing past Trump’s head, followed by the moment Trump touched his right ear and then removed his hand with blood on it.
Mills, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, recounted his experience to The New York Times. He described the rally as typical, with Trump arriving nearly an hour late and waving to the crowd. Suddenly, three or four loud noises erupted, initially mistaken for car sounds. As Mills continued taking pictures, he noticed something serious had occurred. He moved to the other side of the stage and realized that Trump was still alive, raising his fist in the air. Mills saw blood on Trump’s face and observed the former president in a state of shock.
Mills, who has covered numerous presidents during his long career, stated that he had never encountered such a horrific situation in his 35 to 40 years of experience. He has a long and distinguished career, having served as chief photographer for the Associated Press for 15 years before joining The New York Times. He has won two Pulitzer Prizes, the first for covering former President Bill Clinton and Al Gore’s electoral campaign in 1993, and the second for his investigative story on President Clinton and his relationship with Monica Lewinsky. He has also received numerous awards for his work, including the Award for Excellence in Presidential News Coverage by Visual Journalists in 2020 and 2023. Beyond his political photography, Mills has also dedicated his career to sports photography, covering Super Bowls, World Series, golf majors like the Masters, and 16 Olympic Games.
The alleged assassination attempt on Trump has sent shockwaves through the political world. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by public figures, and the importance of security measures.
