Trump’s previous comments on gun violence resurface as he survives shooting

As the international political community continues to react and process the news of an assassination attempt on former US president Donald Trump in Pennsylvania on Saturday, social media users have pointed out past comments from the Republican presidential candidate and convicted felon on the issue of gun violence.

In his latest statement commenting on the attempt on his life, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Sunday: “It was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening. We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness.

“In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win.”

It follows an earlier comment the day before in which he said it was “incredible that such an act can take place in our country”.

He added: “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin.

“Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening.”

Reuters reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (or FBI) has identified 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks as the suspected gunman, who was shot and killed by secret service agents.

An audience member also died and two people were injured.

And, as the shooting reignites discussions around gun ownership and political violence, X/Twitter accounts have directed people’s attention to controversial comments from Trump on these issues.

February 2018: “I’d run in there even if I didn’t have a weapon”

Nikolas Cruz shot and killed 17 people in a high school in Parkland, Florida, and in response to the tragedy, Trump remarked: “I really believe I’d run in there even if I didn’t have a weapon”.

“I think most of the people in this room would have done that, too,” he said, to a group of governors in the White House.

As gun control campaigners expressed their anger over the loss of life, Trump held a meeting with school shooting survivors where cameras caught the president holding a cue card of things to say while expressing sympathy.

The five-point note included questions such as, “what would you most want me to know about your experience” and “what can we do to help you feel safe”, before ending with the final note, “I hear you”.

May 2022: Naming school shooting victims at the National Rifle Association

Just days after 18-year-old Salvador Ramos shot and killed 21 people (19 children and two teachers) in Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, Trump gave a speech to the National Rifle Association in which he read out the name of each victim, with a bell sounding afterwards.

The move was slammed as “disturbed” and “grotesque” by social media users at the time.

September 2023: “How’s her husband doing, by the way?”

Speaking at the California Republican Party’s fall convention in Anaheim, Trump took aim at then-House speaker Nancy Pelosi and her husband Paul – the latter of which suffered a skull fracture in October 2022 when he was attacked with a hammer by an assailant looking for his wife.

He said: “I will stand up to crazy Nancy Pelosi who ruined San Francisco… How’s her husband doing, by the way?

“And she’s against building a wall [on] our border even though she has a wall around her house, which obviously didn’t do a very good job.”

January 2024: “Get over it”

A day after a 17-year-old shot dead one sixth grader and injured five at Perry High School in Iowa, Trump told a campaign rally: “To the entire community, we love you, we pray for you, and we ask God to heal and comfort really the whole state and the pain that you have. This is something that’s very unique to your state.

“That’s just horrible, so surprising to see it here, but we have to get over it. We have to move forward.”

Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.