Rowe shares 'chilling' thoughts on Trump shooting, story of journalist friend just 15 feet away

Recounting his friend's experience coming “four feet away” from the former president's brush with death, Mike Rowe shared his thoughts on who else “dodged a bullet yesterday.”

With 50 rounds of ammunition purchased before he attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump and explosive materials said to have been discovered in the suspect's home and car, Corey Comperatore's tragic death could have been one of many if had not been the threat. neutralized when it was.

While the scope of such a horrific event can be easily, if not reluctantly, within the reach of the imagination, the storyteller behind “Something to Stand for” touched on the experience shared by journalist Salena Zito while stating, “Donald Trump wasn't the only one who dodged a bullet yesterday.”

“I think America did too.”

“Many of you know my friend, Salena Zito. She is an excellent reporter who writes with great affection about rural America,” Rowe captioned a picture of the reporter and her entourage huddled under a security guard in front of the stage where the president had been speaking .

“On Saturday, I was four feet away from Donald Trump when the shooting started. This is her on the ground, under a campaign staff determined to protect her. Her account is here,” he noted by linking Zito's own words in The Free Press, “and it's worth reading if you value an eyewitness report from a real reporter.”

Many of you know my friend Salena Zito. She is an excellent reporter who writes with great affection about rural America. On Saturday, he was within four feet of Donald Trump when the shooting began. This is her on the ground, under a campaign staff determined to protect her… pic.twitter.com/veLvw8dTbK

— The real Mike Rowe (@mikeroweworks) July 15, 2024

“I was four feet from the stage, in a driveway with about five other journalists. My daughter, a photographer, was next to me. Her husband was by her side,” Zito recalled. “Trump started talking. Six minutes later, we heard the noise. Pop. Pop. Pop. Some people in the crowd might have thought they heard fireworks. But he knew exactly what it was. I have a gun.”

“I looked at the president. He touched his ear. I was surprised to see blood on his face. A spot of red on his cheek,” he detailed before indicating: “My daughter hit the ground. The my son-in-law was lying on top of her. I threw my body next to them. Immediately, a security guard was on top of me.”

As part of her account, the reporter spoke of the big difference in experiencing a tragedy like this firsthand: “I've since seen videos of what happened. People were screaming. But all I remember hearing was a strange silence. With this kind of people, one would expect a stampede. But I never got a sense of chaos.”

Zito had a chance to speak with Trump on Sunday and told him that his planned remarks for the Republican National Convention were being scrapped after the shocking moment.

“The speech I was going to deliver on Thursday was going to be a mess. If that hadn't happened, this would have been one of the most incredible speeches,” the president told him. “Honestly, it's going to be a completely different discourse now.”

“It's an opportunity to bring this country together. They gave me that opportunity,” he said added.

Conversely, Rowe hinted at how the country was “an inch or two” away from potentially being torn apart.

“Salena is still in shock, but she had the presence of mind to document what she saw on a day that will be talked about for days. I'm proud of her and glad she's okay. I also have other thoughts, but I think I will wait a bit to share them publicly”, he remarked. “Overall, I think it's fair to say that Donald Trump wasn't the only one who dodged a bullet yesterday. I think America did too. Like so many other times in history, this one came down to an inch or two. Really chilling to imagine the reaction, if that bullet found its target.”

Concluding his thoughts, Rowe spoke of the heroic death of Comperatore, whose final act was to protect his loved ones from danger: “Condolences to the families of the victims. The death is a retired fire chief, who died protecting her daughters… Tragic.”

Staff writer

A native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College, where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and seeker of the truth, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and dog, and when he's not researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel ·the.

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