Eric Trump, 40, recounted the terrifying experience of witnessing his father, former US President Donald Trump, nearly being assassinated while watching television with his young children, Luke, 6, and Carolina, 4, during an interview with NBC on Monday night. The incident occurred just 48 hours before Trump and his supporters gathered at the Republican National Convention.
“Two days ago, I was on the couch with my children watching my father almost get assassinated on national TV,” Eric said, describing the moment he saw the shots ring out during Trump’s rally in Butler on Saturday evening.
“I saw it live … I clearly understand the sound of a bullet, and I heard the shots and my eyes went right up to the TV and I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” he added, expressing his fear and concern for his father’s safety.
“You instantly see blood, you instantly see someone on the ground, and you don’t know if they were hit multiple times, and you’re just praying to God that they stand up,” he added.
Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old individual, attempted to assassinate Trump, 78, while he was delivering a speech to a gathered audience. Crooks positioned himself roughly 130 yards from the podium and fired multiple rounds using an AR-style rifle.
One of the bullets fired by Crooks grazed Trump’s ear, coming perilously close to striking the side of his head. The former president had a narrow escape from potentially fatal injuries during the terrifying incident.
“He’s got a bad earache, to say the least,” Eric said of his father’s injury.
Eric disclosed that despite the tragic shooting incident that resulted in one death and two critical injuries among the rally attendees, his father remained resolute in his decision to attend the Republican National Convention as scheduled. “I spoke to him 45 minutes after that shooting, and he goes, ‘Nothing changes with the convention, I’m gonna be there,'” Eric shared.
During the roll-call vote on Monday evening, Eric Trump cast the decisive vote that formally secured his father’s position as the Republican Party’s nominee for the upcoming November election.
Trump garnered 2,387 out of the 2,429 pledged delegates, comfortably surpassing the required 1,215 delegates to cement his candidacy.
The former president made his appearance on the convention floor, his right ear bandaged, flanked by his sons Eric and Donald Jr, 46, and his newly selected running mate, senator JD Vance (R-Ohio). Conspicuously absent from the event were former first lady Melania Trump, Trump’s youngest son, Barron, and daughter Ivanka.