One Year From the Butler Assassination Attempt, Trump and the Secret Service Are Changed

Sunday marks the one-year anniversary of the attempt on President Trump’s life in Butler, Pennsylvania, drawing coverage across the spectrum on how the event changed him.

Iowa Fireworks: Both Associated Press (Left bias) and The Hill (Center) led with a moment from earlier this month when Trump was on stage in Iowa and fireworks rang out in the distance. “Did I hear what I think I heard?” Trump said. “Don’t worry, it’s only fireworks. I hope. Famous last words.”

Secret Service: The Hill wrote, “The shocking moment served as a turning point for Trump both politically and personally, and it set off a reckoning at the Secret Service that is still playing out,” ostensibly referring to ramifications and changes for the agency, including six agents being suspended without pay last week for failures at the Butler assassination attempt.

Collateral Death: Fox News (Right) also mentioned the failures of the Secret Service and penned several paragraphs on Corey Comperatore, a volunteer firefighter who was killed at the Butler rally while protecting his wife and daughter when he heard the gunfire.

Bias Notes: The Hill wrote, “The near-death experience also added to Trump’s already mythic persona among many of his supporters.” Fox framed Trump as valiant in its coverage, writing in its headline that he is now “stronger than ever” as a result. Associated Press, which last year refrained from saying Trump was hit with a bullet while most other outlets did, wrote in this year’s coverage that “a gunman opened fire at a campaign rally, grazing Trump’s ear.”

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