On the one-year anniversary of the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise reflected on the attack—and warned that the political climate has only gotten more dangerous.
In an exclusive interview with The Daily Wire, Scalise, himself a survivor of a politically motivated shooting in 2017, praised Trump’s resilience and said the president remains laser-focused on delivering results for the American people. “We saw him stand up, even with blood running down his face, saying, ‘Fight, fight, fight,’” Scalise said. “That was such an iconic moment. The country already knew Trump was a fighter—but they saw it that day with their own eyes.”
Scalise said the shooting changed Trump’s approach to his second term. “He knows how close it was, and I think it’s sharpened his focus. He’s not wasting time.”
Scalise also applauded Trump’s efforts to clean house at the DOJ and FBI. Despite reported tensions between Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino, Scalise said the agencies are finally “getting rid of the bad actors,” crediting DOJ Director Kash Patel with taking the lead on internal reforms. “There will be consequences,” Scalise said. “If they crossed lines, we’re going to bring accountability.”
The Majority Leader said he trusts Trump’s judgment on the Epstein investigation, even as Bondi has drawn criticism for walking back her previous statements on having a “client list.” “I haven’t seen the classified files,” Scalise said, “but I trust Donald Trump to get the right answers.”
He also expressed frustration over the lack of answers regarding the Butler shooter. “It’s alarming that we still don’t know much about the person who tried to kill the president,” he said. “But at least the president is doing the things he said he would do.”
Scalise didn’t hold back on what he sees as the root cause of recent political violence: radical rhetoric from the Left. “You’re seeing people attack law enforcement, including ICE agents,” he said. “And they’re being spurred on by rhetoric from the Left. That’s got to stop.”
“It’s not coincidental. Words have actions,” he added. “We’re not seeing condemnation from the Democrats when it counts, because they’re afraid of the most radical elements of their base.”
Scalise closed by pointing to the GOP’s next legislative milestone—the One Big Beautiful Bill. “Democrats have lied in every possible way about this bill,” he said. “But we’re going to tell the truth.”
He emphasized the bill’s retroactive tax breaks for working Americans: no taxes on tips, no taxes on overtime, and relief for seniors and small business owners. “This is what we campaigned on. And now we’re delivering,” Scalise said.