NEW DELHI — Former US President and the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Friday recounted his experience of the assassination attempt on his life during a rally in Pennsylvania and said that God was on his side.
While delivering his speech at the closing night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee where he accepted his third GOP nomination as president, Trump called for unity among Americans.
It was his first public address since the attack at a rally in Pennsylvania. He described the moment when the bullet nearly hit him.
"I am not supposed to be here, tonight. I am not supposed to be here," he told the crowd who chanted "Yes, you are".
Trump said the bullet missed him as he leaned forward seconds before the assassin fired the shot.
"I began speaking very proudly about the great job my administration did on immigration at the southern border. Behind me, to the right, a large screen displayed the number of border crossings. To see the chart I started to turn to my right. I began to turn a little bit further which I am very lucky I did not do," he said.
The former US president said he heard "a loud whizzing sound and felt something hit me very, very hard on my right ear. I said to myself...'Wow, what was that...It can only be a bullet'...and moved my right hand to my ear, brought it down, and my hand was covered with blood."
In his speech, Trump promised the “four greatest years in the history of our country” and said, “I’m running to be president for all of America."
Trump survived an attempt on his life on July 13 when a shooter, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired multiple shots at him at a campaign rally, injuring his right ear
The shooter was shot dead by Secret Service snipers. The motive behind his attack is not known yet as investigations continue.