Trump calls being president a ‘very dangerous profession’
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US President Donald Trump speaking to the media at the White House on June 27.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump on June 27 reflected on threats to his life as he celebrated a court ruling that handed his administration sweeping power to pursue his policy agenda.
When asked by a reporter about such threats, the Republican suggested that he is occasionally reminded of when he was grazed in the ear by a bullet at a Pennsylvania campaign rally
“I get that throbbing feeling every once in a while,” he said. “But you know what? That’s okay. This is a dangerous business.”
He made the comments during a wide-ranging, impromptu White House press conference scheduled to celebrate the US Supreme Court decision that handed him a major victory by curbing federal judges’ power to impose nationwide rulings that block his policies.
On June 27, the businessman-turned-politician described the presidency as riskier than some of the most perilous professions.
“You have race car drivers as an example, one-tenth of 1 per cent die. Bull riders, one-tenth of 1 per cent. That’s not a lot, but it’s – people die. When you’re president, it’s about 5 per cent. If somebody would have told me that, maybe I wouldn’t have run. Okay? This is, this is a very dangerous profession.”
Four of the 45 US presidents have been assassinated. Several more presidents and candidates for the office have been shot.
There have been several threats on Mr Trump’s life. Law enforcement officials said he also survived a Sept 15, 2024, assassination attempt while he was golfing on his course in West Palm Beach, Florida. The suspect in that incident faces five federal charges and has pleaded not guilty.
The July 2024 shooting suspect was shot to death by Secret Service agents. One person at the Pennsylvania rally was killed, and two others were wounded.
The US has also separately said Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps at one point attempted to assassinate Mr Trump. Iran, whose nuclear facilities were bombed by US forces last weekend, has denied the allegation.
Mr Trump, serving his second term in office,
The US is experiencing its most sustained period of political violence since the 1970s. Reuters has documented more than 300 cases of politically motivated violent acts since Trump supporters attacked the US Capitol on Jan 6, 2021. REUTERS
