On the eve of the anniversary of the failed assassination attempt at his Butler, Pennsylvania rally, President Donald Trump opened up about the event during an interview with his daughter-in-law Lara Trump on her Fox News program, My View.
Trump acknowledged that mistakes were made by the U.S. Secret Service in the lead-up to the shooting, which left several injured and came dangerously close to taking his life. Despite the failures, Trump made it clear that he still has confidence in the agency tasked with protecting him.
“They should have had somebody in the building. That was a mistake,” Trump said, referring to the unguarded sniper position where the gunman ultimately fired from. “They should have had communications with the local police. They weren’t tied in, and they should have been. So there were mistakes made — that shouldn’t have happened.”
The building in question, which provided the shooter with a direct line of sight to the rally stage, had not been secured or monitored by either local or federal law enforcement. Trump, who has reviewed the after-action reports, said he was “satisfied” with the broader investigation but acknowledged the security lapses. “That building was a prime building in terms of what they were trying to do,” he added.
Still, Trump expressed continued support for the Secret Service, saying, “I have great confidence in these people. I know the people. They’re very talented, very capable. They had a bad day — and I think they’ll admit that. Kind of a rough day.”
.@POTUS on the Secret Service after last year’s assassination attempt against him in Butler: “Mistakes were made … I have great confidence in these people. I know the people and they’re very talented, very capable. They had a bad day, and I think they’ll admit that.” pic.twitter.com/uK4C9eJKFq
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 13, 2025
In a moment of levity, Trump compared the dangers of the presidency to extreme professions. “This is a very dangerous job, being president,” he said with a grin. “A race car driver — one percent of one percent die. A bull rider? It’s like one tenth of one percent. And with a president, it’s like five percent. Why didn’t you tell me this? I could have maybe made a different decision. But I wouldn’t have made a different decision, because we’re doing so well. The country is back.”
Trump’s remarks come at a time when public interest in the assassination attempt has been renewed, especially amid continued investigations into how the shooter was able to access such a vulnerable position. The former president’s reflections struck a tone of resilience and resolve, emphasizing both the gravity of the threat and his unwavering determination to continue serving the country.