‘I shouldn’t be here’: Trump opens Florida event recounting WHCD assassination attempt

THE VILLAGES, FLORIDA: President Donald Trump on Friday, May 1, stood before a massive crowd in The Villages and declared, "You know, I shouldn't be here," as he detailed his decision to appear in public following an assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

Trump used the moment to reassure his supporters of his resilience, arguing that no secure facility could ever replace the safety he feels among the senior community.

Trump rejects calls to govern from a 'secure facility'

President Donald Trump opened his remarks by addressing the recent security breach at the Hilton Hotel in Washington.

Despite the lingering tension from the event, Trump told the Florida crowd that he rejected the idea of governing from a "secure facility" for the remainder of his term. 

"There was just a... an attempt. I won't use the word, an attempt, they say, on my life," Trump said, acknowledging the gravity of the threat.

He mocked the suggestion that he should remain isolated for his own protection, stating, "I should be indoors at a secure facility, where I can quietly, beautifully, and safely play out my term, destroying everything that comes in our way. Like bad countries that want to get nuclear weapons, will take care of them." 

He then questioned why he would stay hidden when he could be in Florida, stating, "So, they want me to be in a secure place? I said, What's more secure than the villages? No."

Trump recalls electoral victories and rivals

Trump then pivoted from his personal safety to his long-standing grievances regarding the electoral process and his disdain for his political rivals. 

He framed the massive turnout in the retirement community as proof of his popularity. "I heard the seniors were waiting at the villages, and there's no way we got, like, 97% of the vote. Remember all those frauds? They said, Whoa. Remember?"

Trump then targeted his opponents. "Remember Sleepy Joe and Kamala? They came up, oh. We love you more than Trump, and you said, No, you don't, you don't. You don't love us more," Trump exclaimed, drawing a thunderous response from the audience as he remarked his rivals as "phoney."

Trump celebrates record attendance in Florida

Trump also marveled at the growth of his rallies. He claimed that the sheer volume of attendees beat anything the community had seen before. 

"Frankly, it's the largest crowd you've ever had assembled," he said. He recalled how his events used to be held in a "little tiny room" before moving outside to accommodate thousands.

"They have an overflow room that's bigger than this. Why the hell didn't I go there to start off? What's going on?" Trump asked the crowd.

He noted that thousands more were waiting outside. "We love them all. We love them all. So," he concluded, signaling that he intends to remain active regardless of the risks.