
Trump and Melania's plans to mark the terrifying Butler day that almost ripped their family apart
Melania will be at his side throughout the day. The couple has been affectionate in public as of late - they exchanged as kiss as they watched fireworks at the White House on the Fourth of July and the president put his arm around the first lady as they walked to Marine One on Friday for a trip to Texas to see the damage from flooding there.
Sunday marks a year since a lone gunman fired shots on him at his Pennsylvania campaign rally, shooting Trump in the ear, injuring two others in the crowd and killing audience member Corey Comperatore.
It was a 'profound' and 'sad' moment for the entire Trump family, one insider told Daily Mail. All of them called Trump as he lay in Butler Memorial Hospital, being checked out by doctors.
Melania Trump, in the aftermath, put out a rare, emotional statement describing her fear of losing her husband - 'his laughter, ingenuity, love of music, and inspiration.'
Ivanka Trump rushed to meet her father when he arrived at his golf club in Bedminster after he was released from the hospital.
The president will reflect on the day in an interview with his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, which will air Saturday night on Fox News.
The duo taped the conversation on Monday at the White House.
'It was unforgettable,' the president told her in excerpts released by Fox News. 'I didn't know exactly what was going on. I got whacked. There's no question about that. And fortunately, I got down quickly. People were screaming, and I got down quickly, fortunately, because I think they shot eight bullets. And one got me.'
But, on Sunday, the date of the actual anniversary, Trump will spend part of it quietly with his family before joining thousands of soccer fans.
He'll start the day at his Bedminster, N.J., golf club. Melania Trump will be there as will Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.
That afternoon, the president will head to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to watch the Club World Cup Final match. Melania will join him in the stands. Then Trump returns to the White House.
He'll no doubt be cheered by thousands of people, which is what he likes. The president feeds off the energy of a crowd.
And, they will be happy to see him as he is the reason for the championship game. Trump was president when FIFA awarded the 2026 World Cup to the United States, Mexico and Canada back in 2018.
But Bedminster, the property were he spends his summer weekends, was where Trump was brought in the aftermath of the shooting attempt on his life.
On that night, club officials cleared the place of all people.
The massive club house - with its restaurant - the pool area and golf courses were emptied out as part of the security measures.
Club members who booked rooms on the complex were told to pack their things and leave.
One White House staffer, who was with Trump when the assassination attempt occurred, recalled to Daily Mail how eerie it was to walk onto the empty club property in total silence.
The place is usually bustling with members, their families and supporters happy to see the president.
It was Melania Trump who demanded Trump be brought back to New Jersey from the Pennsylvania hospital where he was treated after the shooting.
She wasn't at the campaign rally. But she spoke to Trump when he was in the hospital and argued repeatedly with the head of Trump's Secret Service detail, Sean Curran, to bring him to Bedminster.
She won, Josh Dawsey, Tyler Pager and Isaac Arnsdorf reveal in their book '2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America.'
Trump would come to his New Jersey home and Susie Wiles called the club manager to order the entire complex emptied of people. They only had two hours to get hundreds of club guests off the property, officials told Daily Mail.
At the hospital, Trump kept talking about the shooting, wanting to relive it over and over, the authors report in their book.
He suffered a minor injury in the attempt on his life - a bullet grazed his right ear, leaving blood trailing down his face.
After doctors checked him out, he worked his cell phone: Melania called several times; he spoke with his children and he took calls from some of the famous, richest people in the world: Sylvester Stallone, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos.
Then-President Joe Biden gave a 'very nice' phone call, according to Trump.
He rarely discussed the incident in public, however.
'I'll tell you exactly what happened, and you'll never hear it from me a second time, because it's actually too painful to tell,' he said a week after it happened when he addressed the Republican National Convention.
'I'm not supposed to be here tonight,' he said. 'I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of almighty God.'
The entire Trump family received an outpouring of support and prayers from officials across the political spectrum and public officials around the world following the shooting.
And Trump's family showed their love and support.
Melania called the gunman a 'monster' and described the moment she watched the bullet strike her husband's ear.
'When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron's life, were on the brink of devastating change. I am grateful to the brave secret service agents and law enforcement officials who risked their own lives to protect my husband,' she said in an emotional statement.
Ivanka was at Trump's side the evening of the attempt and with him the morning after.
'I love you Dad, today and always,' she said in a statement after the shooting.
And she noted her mother Ivana was likely watching over him: 'Two years ago today, my mom passed away. I believe she was watching over Dad last night during the attempt on his life.'
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