Trump claims ‘only consequential presidents get shot at’ after second attempt on his life

FLINT, MICHIGAN: During a town hall event in Michigan on Tuesday, September 17, former President and GOP nominee Donald Trump asserted that his presidency was consequential enough to warrant multiple assassination attempts, reported the New York Post.

On Sunday, a second assassination attempt on Donald Trump reportedly occurred when the Secret Service discovered a man with a scoped assault rifle hiding in the bushes outside the Trump International Golf Club in Florida while Trump was playing the fifth hole.

The suspect, 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh from Hawaii, was apprehended while attempting to flee in his car.

In July, during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, 20-year-old Thomas Crooks fired at Donald Trump, grazing his right ear before the Secret Service intervened. Snipers at the scene neutralized Crooks.

Donald Trump's observations on the dangers of being POTUS

At the Tuesday event moderated by Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders, Donald Trump declared, “You know, only consequential presidents get shot at.”

"It’s a dangerous business running for president,” he shared. "Being president, it’s a little bit dangerous. It’s, you know, 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."

Sanders, who served as press secretary during Trump's presidency, remarked, "God is not done with President Trump. He’s the toughest guy I know and the fighter our country most desperately needs right now."

Trump also lauded the Secret Service's response on Sunday, stating, "These guys do a great job. Now – they do need more people. And they’ve been complaining about that for a long time. But they did a great job.”

Donald Trump accuses Chinese automakers of setting up production in Mexico to evade US tariffs

Donald Trump accused Chinese car manufacturers of building production plants in Mexico to increase their imports of electric vehicles into the United States while bypassing tariffs.

“They think they’re going to make their cars there, and they’re going to sell them across our line, and we’re going to take them and we’re not going to charge them tax – we’re going to charge them,” Trump stated at the event.

"I’m telling you right now, I’m putting a 200% tariff on, which means they’re unsellable, unsellable in the United States," he continued. "And then you wonder why I get shot at, right?”

"When I say something like that, you have countries saying, ‘This guy,’ but what can you do? You have to do what you have to do, right? We have to be brave. Otherwise, we’re not going to have a country left,” added the GOP nominee.

Diverse online reactions to Donald Trump’s town hall statements highlight sharp divides

Netizens were strongly divided in their opinion on Donald Trump's take at the town hall. The following comments on his statements shared over the social media platform X demonstrate the conflicting views.

"Trump’s tariffs hit China where it hurts, and now he’s paying the price for being a president who actually makes waves. Only leaders who threaten the status quo face this level of danger," wrote a user.

"So true," seconded another.

"He actually made changes that made a difference," noted a third.

"Trump is a damn champ!" hailed a fourth.

"That’s just flat out wrong!" countered a user.

"Trump admitting his own rhetoric is the reason people are trying to assassinate him is the biggest TRUTH BOMB here," quipped another.

"He’s never read an economics book in his life. Tariffs exacerbate inflation," shared a user.

"So it was a Chinese plot? I thought it was a Democrat rhetoric problem?" expressed yet another.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.