Former President Donald Trump addressed the recent assassination attempts against him during a town hall event in Flint, Michigan. The event, his first since surviving an attack on Sunday, saw Trump directly connect his experiences to the risks of being president.
“You wonder why I got shot at right? You know, only consequential presidents get shot at right,” Trump stated, emphasizing his belief that the threats he faced were a consequence of his influence and actions.
The town hall, held at Flint’s Dort Financial Center, was Trump’s first official campaign stop since the incident at his golf club in Florida. There, Secret Service agents apprehended a suspect, 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, who was spotted with a rifle and scope. Routh was quickly apprehended, and Trump, who was several hundred yards away, was unharmed. This marked the second assassination attempt against Trump in just over two months. The previous incident occurred during a rally in Butlery, Pennsylvania, where Trump was grazed in the ear by a bullet.
During the Flint event, Trump acknowledged the dangers associated with the presidency, stating, “It’s a dangerous business. However, being president, it’s a little bit dangerous. They think race car driving is dangerous. No, they think bull riding. That’s pretty scary, right? No, this is a dangerous business, and we have to keep it safe.”
Beyond discussing the threats, Trump focused his message on the importance of Michigan in the upcoming election. He made a direct appeal to voters, warning that the state’s auto industry could collapse within two to three years if he loses the election. He blamed the potential downfall on Vice President Kamala Harris’s policies and the growing influence of China in the electric vehicle market.
Michigan is considered a crucial swing state, with Trump winning it by a slim margin in 2016 and losing it to President Biden in 2020. Current polls suggest a tight race again, with Harris holding a slight lead. Trump’s town hall in Flint serves as a reminder of the high stakes involved in the election and the potential for volatility as both campaigns attempt to secure crucial swing states.
