Trump Once Again Visits Butler, Holding Rally at Location of Previous Attempt on His Life
The previous president characterized his forthcoming visit to Butler, located an hour north of Pittsburgh in what could potentially be the decisive election state, as unfinished business.
"I said that day when I was wounded, 'We're returning. We'll be back.' And I'm keeping my word," Trump stated in an interview with NewsNation recently. "I'm fulfilling, truly, a duty."
Though the location remains the same, the dynamics of the 2024 presidential election have undergone a dramatic shift since a gunman attacked the crowd, grazing Trump's ear only moments after he started speaking during that summer evening event, resulting in one fatality and injuring two others.
The assassination attempt, followed by a separate incident last month while Trump was playing golf in Florida, showcased the unpredictability and volatility of the race's endgame, which has been characterized by numerous noteworthy events.
President Joe Biden, under increasing pressure within his own party following a poor performance in debates, withdrew from the race eight days after the shooting in Butler. Vice President Kamala Harris' ascent to the top of the Democratic ticket altered the election dynamics and compelled Trump to revise his strategy for this rematch, which both major parties had prepared for.
With just a month remaining ahead of November 5, early and mail-in voting initiatives are already underway in numerous states, advertising campaigns are in progress, and the battlefield has taken shape.
Trump to host unique event
Five days after the shooting, as Trump delivered an impactful speech at his convention in Milwaukee, he swore to avoid discussing details of the assassination attempt. This pledge was brief-lived, as the Butler shooting incident recurred frequently in his rallies, including his most recent one last weekend, where he spoke of returning to the site, which he described as growing to become a significant tourist attraction since July 13.
"We're going back. That's noteworthy. We have a great deal of people joining us," Trump said. "I believe I'll commence the speech by saying, 'As I had just begun to say.'"
The image of Trump, with his face covered in blood and raising his fists in the air, is immortalized on merchandise like shirts, flags, and other memorabilia at his rallies. It has also become a symbol of the unwavering loyalty his supporters exhibit towards him.
"Everyone up there, they were fantastic," Trump told the Erie crowd, who cheered at his mention of their presence at the Butler rally. "They had my back. They saw we were in trouble."
The event scheduled for Saturday at Butler Farm Show Inc. is anticipated to be distinct from a typical Trump rally, according to a senior campaign advisor at Trump's campaign. Instead, Trump intends to use his speech as a tribute to the victims that day.
The former president intends to honor the memory of Corey Comperatore, a firefighter who sacrificed his life shielding his family from bullets. Comperatore's family members, including his wife, daughters, and sisters, will be present at the event. Trump also intends to commend the two other victims injured during the assassination attempt, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, and thank his Secret Service personnel for their protection.
However, Trump's speeches have often deviated from their expected themes and shifted to more familiar topics and criticisms of his political opponents, as he did on the final night of the Republican National Convention.
In indicative of the significance Trump's campaign attributes to this event, his vice presidential candidate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, will be in attendance - as will Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk and singer Lee Greenwood.
Enhanced security measures
Prior to the initial assassination attempt, both Trump's campaign and his security detail had advocated for providing him with the same level of security and resources as a sitting president for various events, but their requests were denied.
"It ultimately caught up with us," one of the sources noted.
Secret Service officials claim that the failures of July 13 - such as radio calls warning about a man on the roof of a nearby building not being relayed to Trump's agents and the agency not effectively communicating who was responsible for the building's security - have been rectified for this Saturday's rally.
One federal official familiar with the planning informed CNN that, unlike the day Trump was shot, the Secret Service and local law enforcement will be coordinating their efforts in a single, unified command center to facilitate quicker communication of threats and issues. Other enhancements that were lacking during the attempt to assassinate Trump will also be implemented on Saturday, according to the source, including a counter-drone system that was not operational until nearly an hour after the drone flew over the rally site.
The federal official also informed CNN that the buildings where the assailant took his position will be thoroughly secured on Saturday.
"There will be people on the roof," the official said of the building, adding that there will be a "significant increase in security presence."
"You'll notice lots of enhancements," the official said.
Trump will be shielded by armored glass when he takes the stage, a safety measure that was implemented at his events shortly after the shooting in the summer.
The Pennsylvania State Police will also assume a more active role in security and an increased number of local law enforcement personnel will be available for securing the area.
Local law enforcement previously criticized the Secret Service for insufficient meetings and guidance during July's rally. However, predictions suggest the Secret Service will offer more explicit instructions, specifying who is responsible for securing which areas, for the upcoming event.
The Secret Service has been collaborating closely with the Pennsylvania State Police and local authorities in Butler Township, along with utilizing additional federal security resources to increase personnel and technology.
Before the Butler rally, the campaign had extensive discussions and presented a detailed plan to Butler city officials, outlining the event and associated arrangements for local authorities.
In the campaign's final stages, both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are concentrating on seven vital swing states: Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and North Carolina.
More than $100 million worth of presidential advertisements will air in the first week of October. Democrats have reserved over $60 million of advertising slots between October 1 and October 7, while Republicans have approximately $41 million set aside, as per AdImpact data.
Pennsylvania receives the most substantial portion of these expenditures, with Democrats investing $11.1 million and Republicans investing $12.5 million. From now until the election, both parties have over $115 million booked on Pennsylvania's airwaves.
The campaign aims to sway undecided voters while simultaneously guaranteeing their devoted supporters participate in the voting process.
The struggle for the presidency is not only taking place on a national scale, but also entails a fierce competition in swing counties within swing states that could potentially determine the outcome of a narrow race. Harris is attacking Trump on healthcare in Wisconsin, while Trump is assailing Harris on taxes in Georgia.
Democratic and Republican strategists to CNN assert that the battleground territory will not fluctuate in the final 30 days leading up to Election Day.
No more presidential debates have been scheduled, which means both candidates might fail to seize opportunities to significantly alter the election's trajectory. Instead, targeted appeals are becoming more prominent.
Harris is showing an advantage among independent voters in Wisconsin, a recent Marquette Law poll reported, leading Trump by 22 percentage points. Her meeting with former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney in Ripon, Wisconsin, aimed at strengthening these gains, as per campaign aides.
Both campaigns have abandoned traditional television interviews but embraced independent podcasts and online shows aimed at new and irregular voters, as well as key demographics.
A significant emphasis of Harris' campaign is winning over Latino voters in Pennsylvania, with the intention of preventing Trump from eroding Democrats' historically sizeable margins among non-White voters. This focus has been visible at events such as the one hosted by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz in Bethlehem last month, where he promised to continue backing Puerto Rico's recovery efforts after Hurricane Maria – a move geared towards encouraging Pennsylvania Latino voters of Puerto Rican heritage.
The Harris campaign is also set to receive a boost from former President Barack Obama, who will launch a four-week initiative to bolster Harris' campaign starting Thursday in Pittsburgh.
CNN’s Camila DeChalus, David Wright, Kristen Holmes and Zachary Cohen contributed to this report.
Despite the ongoing tension and unpredictability in the 2024 presidential race, Trump remains committed to addressing political issues. Following his assassination attempt in Butler, he plans to return to the site for a unique event, paying tribute to the victims and thanking his protectors.
The heightened security measures for this event are evidence of the lessons learned from the previous incident. The Secret Service and local law enforcement have improved their communication and coordination, ensuring a safer environment for Trump's speech.
