Trump JOKES about his assassination attempt with the immigration statistics he says saved his life: 'Last time I put up that chart I never got to look at it'
- Trump brought on screen the immigration chart he credits to saving his life
- READ: Trump team says turn of his head led to him narrowly escaping death
Donald Trump touted the chart that 'saved my life' by causing him to turn his head at the moment would-be assassin reigned down bullets at his Pennsylvania rally on Saturday.
Speaking at the conclusion of the Republican Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Thursday, the former president was able to crack a joke about the assassination attempt after getting emotional earlier in his remarks when recounting the attack.
Trump gave a moment-by-moment retelling of the events he experienced at his last rally and said he would never talk about it again because it's 'too painful.'
During the immigration portion of his lengthy acceptance remarks, Trump referenced the chart that he credits for his life.
'Less than four years ago, I handed this administration the strongest border in American history,' Trump said. 'But you can see on the chart that saved my life – that was the chart that saved my life.'
Donald Trump joked on stage at the Republican Convention how his favorite immigration chart 'saved my life' during the assassination attempt at his rally on Saturday
onald Trump gestures as he is joined on stage by his wife Melania, Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance and family members
Donald Trump stands on stage with former first lady Melania Trump
'I said, 'look at it.' I'm so proud of it. I think it's one of the greatest – it was done by the border patrol – one of the greatest charts I've ever seen. It showed everything just like that – you know the chart.'
Trump, his team and online analyses claim that the bullet that struck his right ear was less than a quarter inch from striking his head and leading to either much more serious injury or death.
A last-second turn-of-his-head to look at the illegal immigration chart on the screen at his rally may have just saved the former president's life.
At one point, Trump appeared to realize the chart was up on the screens behind him in the Fiserv Forum.
'Oh, there it is. That's pretty good. Wow,' the former president lauded.
'Last time I put up that chart I never really got to look at it,' he joked. 'But without that chart, I would not be here today. Never got to look at it.'
'I never got to see it that day.'
The chart shows the rate of illegal immigration in the U.S. – and how it spiked after Trump left office and President Joe Biden took over. Trump said he never got to look at it during his Pennsylvania rally before being shot
Trump said at the Convention he would recount the events and then never do so again because it's 'too painful.' The former president's ear remained bandaged through the events after he was shot on Saturday
A turn of Trump's head to the right to look at the chart on the screen at his rally is credited to saving his life because the bullet that struck his ear was only centimeters from a much more lethal impact
Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, used his father's AR-style weapon to open fire at the rally on Saturday. There is still no known motive for the registered Republican who once donated to a progressive group backing President Joe Biden.
While Trump's ear was the only thing the gunman struck on the president, he did take the life of a 50-year-old rally goer and father of two and critically injure two others who are now in stable condition.
