Journalist Salena Zito Reveals What Trump Supporters Meant When They Turned On The Cameras At The Butler

When President Donald Trump entered his vehicle, surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents, successful nan moments pursuing his attempted assassination astatine his Butler, Pennsylvania, run rally 1 twelvemonth ago, nan crowd traded their "USA" chants for expletives arsenic they directed their anger toward nan media gathered connected nan property riser. 

Veteran governmental newsman Salena Zito said pinch Fox News Digital up of nan merchandise of her caller book, "Butler: The Untold Story of nan Near Assassination of Donald Trump and nan Fight for America's Heartland." Zito recovered herself wrong nan Secret Service's unafraid perimeter, conscionable steps distant from Trump, erstwhile a gunman unleashed gunfire connected nan crowd, 1 twelvemonth ago. 

"It wasn't directed astatine nan press," Zito said of nan impassioned Trump supporters who turned to look nan media erstwhile Trump was retired of sight. "It was directed astatine nan cameras, letting nan state cognize that this is unacceptable, and our state is successful peril, and we request to beryllium beardown astir it."

Zito, who has built her profession telling existent stories from nan American heartland, said she said pinch nan Trump supporters who tin beryllium seen shouting astatine nan camera successful nan video played astir nan world. 

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Salena Zito takes screen pinch her girl and son-in-law aft Donald Trump's attempted assassination astatine a rally connected July 13, 2024, successful Butler, Pennsylvania.  (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

"They confirmed that. They said, 'We weren't blaming nan press. We were blaming everything that led to this successful our country, and we were huffy astir that, and we wanted to show defiance to that,'" Zito said. 

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Fox News confirmed up of nan one-year day of Trump's first attempted assassination that six Secret Service agents were suspended without salary aft 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened occurrence astatine Trump during a rally successful occidental Pennsylvania past summer. 

Supervisors and line-level agents were suspended successful February, ranging from 10 to 42 days without pay, nan Secret Service confirmed to Fox News.

Speaking pinch Fox News Digital pursuing first reports astir nan agents' suspension, Zito said it was "well warranted" for those making logistical decisions to beryllium suspended. 

Republican statesmanlike campaigner erstwhile President Donald Trump surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents aft a slug struck his receptor during an onslaught astatine a run rally connected Saturday, July 13, 2024, successful Butler, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

"I will opportunity unequivocally that nan men and women that were taking attraction of President Trump that day, that were successful his item and successful that buffer, were connected apical of everything," Zito said. "Those men and women were doing their jobs correct erstwhile they put themselves successful nan statement of fire."

Zito, who refused to get down erstwhile she first heard nan shots, said Trump was "surrounded successful a oversea of blue."

"They put him successful a protective stance, and they put their lives connected nan line," Zito said. "Nothing should beryllium taken distant from that bravery successful that moment. Those section officers were heroes that day."

Trump recovered from his adjacent assassination pinch small much than a slug graze to nan ear, acknowledgment to nan migration floor plan he was turning his caput to face. One rally attendee, firefighter Corey Comperatore, was killed, and 2 others were critically injured by Crooks' gunshots. 

A ample crowd waited for nan presence of President Donald Trump astatine a rally successful Butler, Pennsylvania, connected Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024 – months aft his attempted assassination astatine nan aforesaid location.  (Matthew McDermott for Fox News Digital)

In nan moments pursuing nan gunfire, Zito said what she saw adjacent was "really rather remarkable."

"People near location beautiful orderly. There wasn't a rush. There wasn't a stampede. You saw nan medics taking attraction of nan group that had fallen [or] were injured. But you mostly saw group getting each different retired and crossed nan field," Zito explained.

Zito said it was "amazing" to spot "how orderly group left." An hr later, erstwhile she returned to nan ample parking lot, they hadn't fto 1 car go, truthful location were thousands of Trump supporters gathered together.

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"These group are retired of their cars, they're sharing water, they're hugging each other, they're making judge they're okay, they're sharing food. They're conscionable talking. I really was struck by their comportment successful that moment," Zito said. 

Zito's book takes readers backmost to July 13, 2024, erstwhile she was specified steps distant from Trump erstwhile shots were fired. She is simply a governmental newsman for nan Washington Examiner, a typical contributor for nan Washington Post and has been a columnist for nan New York Post.