Trump revisits Butler assassination attempt a year after near-fatal incident: ‘There were mistakes made’
WASHINGTON, DC: A year after the incident, Donald Trump has revisited the July 2024 assassination attempt on him during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The president stated that “mistakes were made” by the Secret Service but he was “satisfied” with the probe that happened eventually.
Trump was targeted on July 13, 2024, by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks while he was speaking at an open-air campaign rally. His upper right ear was injured in the near-miss incident.
TUNE IN: President Donald J. Trump discusses the attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania, in an exclusive interview with Lara Trump nearly one year later. Watch the full interview on 'My View With Lara Trump,' Saturday at 9 PM ET. pic.twitter.com/wVrTwHrcGz
— NICK LEAVITT (@leavittnick_) July 11, 2025
Trump says Butler assassination attempt ‘shouldn't have happened’
Crooks also killed one attendee, Corey Comperatore, who was former Buffalo township fire chief, and left two attendees injured. However, he was fatally shot by the Counter Sniper Team of the Secret Service.
Now, a year later, the commander-in-chief said on FOX News' ‘My View with Lara Trump’ that “they should have had somebody in the building. That was a mistake. They should have had communications with the local police.”
“So there were mistakes made, that, you know, shouldn't have happened,” he stated.
Trump calls July 13 assassination attempt ‘unforgettable’
Trump, however, noted that he’s “satisfied” with the investigation.
“It was unforgettable. I didn't know exactly what was going on," he recalled during the interview that will air this upcoming Saturday, July 12.
“I got whacked. There's no question about that. And fortunately, I got down quickly. People were screaming,” Trump added.
Corey Comperatore’s widow questions Secret Service
Meanwhile, Comperatore’s widow has now been demanding answers from the Secret Service.
She told Fox News, “We were all sitting ducks that day. Our blood is all over their hands. I am angry. I lost the love of my life. They screwed up.”
She further asked, “Why Butler? Why was that such a failure? Why weren't they paying attention? Why did they think that that roof didn't need to be covered? I want to sit down and talk to them. I have the right to. They need to listen to me.”
Secret Service acknowledges ‘need for continuous improvement’
Amid this, the Secret Service has released a statement, calling the July 13 incident “nothing short of a tragedy, one felt not only by those in Butler that day, but around the world.”
“It also represents an operational failure that the Secret Service will carry as a reminder of the critical importance of its zero-fail mission and the need for continuous improvement,” the department mentioned.
Besides, Secret Service Director Sean Curran shared, “My heart will always be with all those impacted on that day, especially Corey Comperatore, who lost his life while protecting those around him.”
“Since President Trump appointed me as director of the United States Secret Service, I have kept my experience on July 13 top of mind, and the agency has taken many steps to ensure such an event can never be repeated in the future. Nothing is more important to the Secret Service than the safety and security of our protectees,” Curran added.
