The Secret Service agents who tackled and protected Donald Trump on Saturday hit him so hard, they knocked his shoes off. That’s just one thing that came to light pertaining to the attempted assassination on Trump from his recollection of events he told the New York Post in a story published Monday. The Post interviewed the former president on his private jet, on his way to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee just hours after the shooting, calling the day a “very surreal experience” adding “I’m supposed to be dead.” “The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this, he called it a miracle,” said Trump, who the Post says was wearing a large, loose white bandage that covered his right ear. His staff insisted that no photos be taken. Trump said turning his head to read a chart showing the number of illegal immigrants in the US saved his life. As he turned, a bullet tore through his right ear, causing blood to splatter on his cheek and forehead, prompting the Secret Service to jump into action. He said they came at him like “linebackers” and he unbuttoned his long-sleeve white shirt to show the Post a large bruise on his right arm On the video of the shooting and aftermath at the rally, after the agents started moving him off stage, he can be heard saying “Wait, I want to get my shoes.” Trump told the Post, “The agents hit me so hard that my shoes fell off, and my shoes are tight,” he said with a smile. He praised the Secret Service for their quick and “heroic actions” and for gunning down the shooter, who was hiding on the roof of a building about 130 yards from the stage where Trump was speaking. “They took him out with one shot right between the eyes,” he said. “They did a fantastic job. It’s surreal for all of us.” Trump also addressed the incredible photo of him raising his fist and saying “Fight” three times as the agents tried to get him off stage and into an armored SUV, reports the Post. “A lot of people say it’s the most iconic photo they’ve ever seen,” Trump said. “They’re right and I didn’t die. Usually, you have to die to have an iconic picture.” “By luck or by God, many people are saying it’s by God I’m still here,” he said. Two people at the rally were injured by the gun fire and one man, Corey Comperatore, died protecting his family, Asked if he had given any thought to attending Comperatore’s funeral, Trump said yes. At that point, the Post says Trump said to his aides, “Get the numbers, I want to go to the hospital and call all the families.” Trump talked about the crowd at the rally, estimated to have been close to 55,000 people, remarking they stayed calm. “A lot of places, especially soccer games, you hear a single shot, everybody runs. Here there were many shots and they stayed,” he said. “I love them. They are such great people.” Also on the flight to Milwaukee was US Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who said “He (Trump) feels like he has a new lease on life.” Trump had already prepared the speech he planned to make at the Republican National Convention, but Saturday’s events changed his mind. “I had all prepared an extremely tough speech, really good, all about the corrupt, horrible administration,” he said, then suddenly added: “But I threw it away,” reports the Post, adding Trump has a new speech in the works because “I want to try to unite our country. But I don’t know if that’s possible. People are very divided.” President Joe Biden called Trump, saying the president was “very nice,” suggesting the campaign between them could be more civil from now on. He also said that “we hear” Biden will order the Department of Justice to drop its two prosecutions of Trump. (It was announced Monday morning his confidential documents case was tossed out by a federal judge in Florida, eliminating one of Trump’s biggest legal liabilities). When the flight arrived in Milwaukee, a TV tuned to CBS showed the attempt on his life, to which Trump was riveted, says the Post. “He said this was the first time he had watched the two-minute segment (and) more than once he shook his head, as if disturbed by seeing how close he came to death.”
