Trump Attributed Survival At Butler Rally To 'hand Of God': Author And Witness Reveals Firsthand Account

Nearly a twelvemonth aft nan attempted assassination of President Donald Trump, journalist and writer Salena Zito is speaking retired astir what she witnessed, and nan individual conversations she had pinch Trump successful nan hours that followed. 

"I spot him drawback his ear. I spot nan humor streak crossed his face," Zito recalled during an question and reply connected nan "Brain Kilmeade Show," Thursday.  "I spot him return himself down. That was my first denotation that possibly he's okay. Or astatine slightest he's not arsenic gravely wounded arsenic I thought he mightiness beryllium because of nan blood."

Zito was successful Butler, Pennsylvania, connected July 13th of past year, erstwhile gunfire rang retired astatine a Trump run rally. She had been scheduled to question and reply nan president erstwhile nan shots were fired by 20-year-old gunman Thomas Crooks. 

ONE YEAR AFTER TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, BUTLER WIDOW DEMANDS ACCOUNTABILITY FROM SECRET SERVICE

A bullet struck Trump successful nan precocious ear, and respective others were deed successful nan crowd, including firefighter Corey Comperatore, who died from his injuries.

Republican campaigner Donald Trump is seen pinch humor connected his look surrounded by concealed work agents arsenic he is taken disconnected nan shape astatine a run arena astatine Butler Farm Show Inc. successful Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. (Getty Images/Rebecca Droke)

TRUMP CHIEF OF STAFF SUSIE WILES RECOUNTS BUTLER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, THOUGHT PRESIDENT WAS DEAD AT FIRST

In her caller book, "Butler: The Untold Story of nan Near Assassination of Donald Trump and nan Fight for America's Heartland," Zito shares her firsthand account of nan historical day. 

"I heard everything," she said of nan chaotic moments aft nan shots. "Including his insistence to put his shoes on," which she described arsenic "comic relief" successful nan tense aftermath. 

According to Zito, Trump called her nan very adjacent time to cheque connected her and her family.

"He would spell connected to telephone me, it was a full of 7 times that day," she told Kilmeade. "We had immoderate powerful conversations."

JOURNALIST WHO REFUSED TO DUCK DURING TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT REFLECTS ON BUTLER RALLY IN NEW BOOK

She said nan president kept asking questions astir nan day, for illustration why he decided to move his caput aliases look nan floor plan onstage, a move which whitethorn person saved him from a acold worse injury. 

"He [Trump] comes to nan conclusion, respective times, that it was nan manus of God," said Zito, who explained nan president believed he had been near live for a reason.

"He was spared because he has been fixed a higher intent than to conscionable beryllium a campaigner for president," she said of nan affectional experience. "To beryllium nan champion point that he could perchance beryllium for nan country."

In nan moments instantly aft nan attack, Zito said Trump refused to beryllium rushed disconnected nan stage, and that she chose to inquire him astir that decision. 

TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AFTERMATH, REACTIONS FROM INNER CIRCLE REVEALED IN NEW BOOK

BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 13: Republican statesmanlike campaigner erstwhile President Donald Trump pumps his fist arsenic he is rushed offstage by U.S. Secret Service agents aft being grazed by a slug during a rally connected July 13, 2024 successful Butler, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Getty Images/Anna Moneymaker)

"He's like, ‘I wasn't Donald Trump successful that moment. I represented nan presidency of nan United States,’" he told Zito. Trump went connected to opportunity he felt he needed to correspond nan "grit" and "exceptionalism" of nan United States and forestall a imaginable panic successful nan crowd. 

Zito said he told her, "I needed group to cognize that we spell on, and we will ever spell connected nary matter what."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP