Donald Trump Speaks Out Nearly 2 Months After Assassination Attempt

Nearly two months after Donald Trump was shot in the ear at a campaign rally, the Republican presidential nominee opened up about his recovery. 

“It’s had no impact,” he told the Daily Mail of his mental health in an interview published Sept. 3. “It’s just amazing.” 

The 78-year-old, who sat down for an interview with the British tabloid at his Mar-A-Lago home in Florida, noted he has felt “no need” for counseling following the assassination attempt.  

“I have not had any, I must tell you,” he said of therapy. “I don’t think about it a lot. It healed up.” 

At a July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, opened fire and killed one spectator, Corey Comperatore, as well as injuring three others, including Trump. Crooks was later shot and killed by the secret service.  

“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act,” Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said at the time. “He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility."

Shortly after, Melania Trump—mom to 18-year-old Barron Trump with the former president— shared a rare statement about her family. “When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron’s life, were on the brink of devastating change,” she wrote. “I am grateful to the brave secret service agents and law enforcement officials who risked their own lives to protect my husband.” 

Two days later, Trump appeared at the Republican National Convention with a small square bandage covering his ear wound. At the time, he said that the shooting had perhaps changed him. “I don’t like to think about that,” he told ABC News, “but, yes, I think it has an impact.” 

Though Trump was originally running against President Joe Biden, the 81-year-old announced his decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race, and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who later earned the nomination for democratic nominee.  

“I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Biden wrote in a July 21 statement. “Let me express my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to see me reelected. I want to thank Vice President Kamala Harris for being an extraordinary partner in all this work. And let me express my heartfelt appreciation to the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me.”