OAN Staff Lillian Mann
6:28 PM – Monday, July 13, 2026
Both President Donald Trump and the White House highlighted the two-year anniversary of the first assassination attempt on the president in Butler, Pennsylvania. Although the 2024 attack miraculously left Trump only with a minor injury, it claimed the life of one rally attendee and seriously injured two others.
On July 13, 2024, a campaign event turned violent when gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks fired from the roof of a nearby building, grazing Trump’s right ear and forcing agents to rush him offstage. The shooting tragically claimed the life of rally attendee Corey Comperatore and injured two other attendees.
In a Monday episode of “Fox & Friends,” President Trump reflected on the horrific moment. He also thanked the U.S. Secret Service and other officials that bravely protected him when Crooks opened fire at the rally.
“Well, they blew Butler because they had one building that was empty, and they blew it … Now at the same time—David, our sniper from 300 yards, was able to act within less than four seconds and took out somebody that he didn’t know existed, which was unbelievable, the job he did…” Trump said.
“I had a lot of people on top of me, and they were very brave. The Secret Service was very brave,” Trump praised. “They were on top of me very, very fast. They saw what was happening. Everybody saw very quickly. I knew—I knew exactly what was happening.”
In an X post on Monday, the White House recognized the resilience and courage of the president following the first assassination attempt.
“Fight. Fight. Fight,” the post read. “Two years ago today, in Butler, PA, an assassin opened fire on President Donald J. Trump. By the grace of God, his life was spared,” the White House continued. “As he rose to his feet – blood on his face, fist raised high – that moment became an enduring symbol of resilience, courage, & unbreakable determination for an entire nation.”
On the two-year anniversary of the attack, Republicans nationwide paid tribute to Corey Comperatore, the 50-year-old former fire chief who was tragically killed at the campaign rally while shielding his wife and daughter from Crooks’ gunfire.
Two other rallygoers, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, were critically wounded in the gunfire and rushed to the hospital in life-threatening condition. While both men ultimately survived after undergoing multiple emergency surgeries, they continue to navigate a long-term physical recovery and the lasting impacts of the attack two years later.
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