What a dodged bullet means for Trump & US politics?

After photos of Trump with blood on his face emerged on social media, it evoked sentiments of support, sympathy and concern for the former President.

Former President Donald Trump was injured in an assassination attempt on Saturday when a gunman opened fire at his campaign rally in Butler in Pennsylvania, killing one spectator. According to the FBI, Thomas Matthew Crooks (20) of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was involved in the assassination attempt of Trump.

With the incident, the political world’s attention has turned to the question: What will it mean for Trump politically? The US presidential election will be held on November 5, 2024.

Symbolic image

The image of a bloodied Trump pumping his fist in the air as he was rushed away by Secret Service after the attack has sparked a wave of sympathy for the 78-year-old Republican. “Fight! Fight! Fight!” the former president said, as some of the supporters began cheering.

Trump will be nominated as the official Republican candidate against Democrat Joe Biden at the Republican National Convention on Monday. According to reports, Trump said he wanted to take advantage of the historic moment. He has rewritten his conversion speech entirely considering the shooting, he told the Washington Examiner a day after the attack.

Washington Examiner said Trump has switched from trying to excite his voter base to demonstrating his belief that Saturday's attack had entirely changed the election campaign. His speech, the report cited him as saying, will meet the moment that history demands.

Challenge for Democrats

Former Clinton campaign consultant, Dick Morris, said the assassination attempt on Trump would serve the Republicans in this period of election and would cause issues for the Democrats in the upcoming elections. While in a conversation with WABV for their podcast, he said, “Functionally, the race is over. [Trump] wins if he lives. … There’s nothing that can get into Trump’s path except a bullet.”

The rally attack – in which Trump became the 13th US president or presidential candidate to face an assassination attempt, and the eighth to survive – was met with calls from elected lawmakers for a reset in the polarisation.

The shooting incident could garner the Republicans 10-15 more points than the Democrats from the current momentum of events at the Republic Convention in Milwaukee, the New York Post.

This lead would be difficult to compete with the Biden and Democrats bickering over the former’s mental and physical health. The Democrats have suggested that the 81-year-old re-elect someone else as their face to at least have a chance of winning the election. However, Biden refused to step down.

Wave of support

After photos of Trump with blood on his face emerged on social media, it evoked sentiments of support, sympathy and concern for the former President.

Among his many supporters is Republican Senator Ted Cruz, who called the photos “extraordinary”. Other supporters praised Trump’s response to the incident as historic and incredible.

Another supporter, Lomez, commended Trump’s response: “Trump yelling ‘Fight. Fight,’ after getting grazed by a bullet in the ear, an inch from ending his life. No panic. No crawling on his knees to safety. The man stands up, faces the crowd, and yells ‘Fight.’ Historic footage. Just incredible.”

According to the Telegraph, Trump based his campaign on the narrative that everyone was out to get him, the incident can stand as proof of his statement. This may also impact Trump’s criminal case as incident may paint Trump in a new light.