President Donald Trump has revealed that he received a call from President Joe Biden shortly after surviving an assassination attempt on July 13. During an interview with Fox News host Jesse Watters, in which he was joined by his vice presidential pick, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), Trump recounted the conversation he had with Biden after narrowly avoiding a bullet from an AR-15 rifle during a rally. Recreations of the shooter’s angle indicate that President Trump would likely have been hit in the side and back of the head if he hadn’t turned to look at a chart during his speech.
“It was good. It was a nice conversation,” Trump told Fox News host Jesse Watters in his first interview since the incident. “He said ‘You’re lucky you turned to the right.’ Obviously someone briefed him, but he did say that to me. ‘You’re lucky you turned to the right.’” Watters was quick to add to the lighthearted moment: “The country is lucky if it turns to the right.” Trump responded: “Wouldn’t it be nice?”
WATCH:
Biden’s words echoed through the phone call as he remarked to Trump, “You’re lucky you turned to the right during the attempted assassination.”? pic.twitter.com/5xfyuLqFFY
— 1776 (@TheWakeninq) July 23, 2024
During the interview, Trump shared the swift reaction of his Secret Service team and relayed a short argument about whether they wanted to transport him off the stage on a stretcher. Instead, Trump stood up after being nicked with a bullet and raised his fist in the air, a moment that became iconic and grabbed the attention of the public, earning him a spot on the front page of Time Magazine.
“They thought I was hit in this area,” Trump said, pointing to his chest, “and I said ‘No, I’m okay. I’m fine. I’m going to get up. I’m not going to be taken out on a stretcher.’ We had a little argument while I had six guys lying on top of me.”
In some recent polls, Trump’s approval ratings have reached his highest levels, thanks to a bipartisan outpouring of sympathy for him. Following a public acceptance of responsibility for a shooting incident, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned from her position on Tuesday. Additionally, on Sunday, Biden announced we would not to seek a second term, essentially acknowledging that Trump has a strong chance of winning the November election.
Instead, Biden is expected to face Vice President Kamala Harris in the election, as she has garnered support from Democrats. However, polls indicate that Harris only slightly outperforms Biden when matched against Trump.