Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
DONALD TRUMP HAS told the New York Post he was “supposed to be dead” after surviving an assassination attempt which he described as a “very surreal experience.”
“I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,” Trump told the newspaper in an interview aboard his plane en route to Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention, where he is set to be confirmed as the party’s presidential candidate.
It was a “very surreal experience” he said with a white bandage covering his right ear, the paper said.
In a different interview, Trump said he has rewritten his speech for the convention to focus on uniting the country in the wake of an assassination attempt on the former US president.
Trump arrived in Milwaukee for the convention yesterday evening, just a day after a gunman opened fire at a campaign rally in Butler.
In his first interview since the incident, Trump told US outlet The Washington Examiner the speech he is set to make on Thursday will be “a lot different than it would’ve been two days ago”.
“The speech I was going to give on Thursday was going to be a humdinger,” he told the paper.
“Had this not happened, this would’ve been one of the most incredible speeches. Honestly, it’s going to be a whole different speech now.
“It is a chance to bring the country together. I was given that chance.”
Writing on Truth Social yesterday, Trump thanked well-wishers and said “it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening”.
“We will fear not, but instead remain resilient in our faith and defiant in the face of wickedness.”
He added: “Our love goes out to the other victims and their families.
“We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed.
“In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand united, and show our true character as Americans, remaining strong and determined, and not allowing evil to win.
“I truly love our country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our great nation this week from Wisconsin. DJT”
His wife, former US first lady Melania Trump, said: “When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realised my life, and Barron’s (the couple’s son) life, were on the brink of devastating change.”
Trump said she was “grateful to the brave secret service agents and law enforcement officials who risked their own lives”.
US President Joe Biden, addressing his country yesterday evening, said he has directed the head of the Secret Service to review all security measures for the Republican National Convention.
“There is no place in America for this kind of violence — for any violence. Ever. Period. No exception. We can’t allow this violence to be normalised,” he said.
“Here in America we need to get out of our silos, where we only listen to those with whom we agree, where misinformation is rampant, where foreign actors fan the flames of our division to shape the outcomes consistent with their interests, not ours.”
With reporting from AFP and Press Association
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
At least we’re going to have one sober person in the dail. We’ll for a month anyways!
Is this crap really something worth talking about??? Who cares weather he is off the beer or not,
Mick I wonder what he is doing about the crisis that has hit the hospitals…..?
“again.”
Mick. Dont know if its worth talking but he sure is good on the eyes. A fine specimen of the male species. AHH
Alcohol related illness and alcohol related anti-social behaviour (fights, domestic violence stabbings, car accidents caused by drunken people) contribute significantly to the problems emergency departments face.
And in general alcohol abuse and addiction are serious health problems facing the Irish public.
I thought the I.H.F. advocated a few tipples per wk, alcohol in moderation is good for your heart i thought? Good luck to everyone taking part though.
It’s only 10 minutes of his time spent promoting a health campaign. Ffs, calm down people.
Does he think he’s not dry enough already? He’s as dry as a camel’s arse in a sandstorm.
if they were actually sincere about this they would close the Dail bar. I’m tired of this country being run by a group of drunken parasites!
Ironically, they’re probably the only group of people who can still afford to buy a scatter of pints in the month of January.
Buy pints?its all on tick in the Dail bar. one former td left behind a large bill when he knew he wasn’t going to return after the last election
The same leo who shouted abuse at gerry Adams when gerry called for dail bar to be closed? Ha
The impression I get from this person from government, that he is just a publicity junkie, although very low level, not like Kim Kardashians.
What a hero and role model this man is.
Now where is the sick bag.
Poor Leo Varadkar thinks he’s Superman…
Even with a vastly superior body and superpowers Superman had the decency to change in a phone booth or down an alley.
Leo by the looks of things is bearing all on the grounds of TCD. I wish he wouldn’t….he is not really a sight to behold like…
He was “off” doing his job for most of January also.
Yeah, that’s great he’s off the booze, now could he please stop trying to distract us and get back to sorting the catastrophic healthcare crisis?
I gave up drinking all but a pint/ bottle or two of beer a year 3 years ago. I replaced booze with exercise and there isn’t an ounce of publicity for me…..
But go ahead media heap praise on Leo…
He,d wanna start drinking bottles of cop on ..
Sure he probably can’t afford it on the pittance he gets
Say anything do anything for his mug to be in the headlines._journal do you not get it these people are not wanted in government
Those ppl would make you sick. That man should be visiting the hospitals to see what exactly to see what is going on instead he is pr1.cking about some non descript launch talk about a govt not fit for the purpose intended. Definitely the worst irish govt EVER.
Oh, yeah. Crazy that the Minister for Health would give 10 minutes towards promoting a health campaign…
in that last pic , he looks as if he’s been on a hell of a bender all night , “gimme a cof , gim, gimmee a coffee qu ick “
Oh what important news that is. How about he givin up been a complete tool
Closest thing the Dail has to a role model.
Good health message Leo, keep it up.
Leo I’ll do anything but my job varadker!!!!
I don’t think he really understands what the whole ‘Minister Of Health’ position actually entails. Next he will be telling us he is doing a great job as he just joined a new gym or saying ‘No worries lads, my health is fine as I just gave up gluten too!’
Why is Nuala Carey there?
The same reason as the other two. She is a celebrity who is there to help to promote the campaign.
Maybe Leo would be better of dealing with the actual issues at hand instead of engaging in all these PR exercises. Last week over 600+ on trollies (and to deal with it them cancelled surgeries) and today a 9 year old girl with cancer is denied a medical card and once again yet another irish family is forced to raise money via social media to save a child’s life… But this clown too busy keeping himself out of the dail bar. I would love to meet one person who has can point me in the direction of something good the minister has done that actual relates to his job and was not a PR stunt? Maybe the journal could investigate his actual ministerial work and publish that instead of the constant PR stuff. Everytime I log on here it’s another Leo stunt being discussed
Who gives a bollix
A child with cancer, denied a medical card by this fools department, and this is the page space he’s given. Top class Journal!!
And we give a shit, Why?
..and the drug dealers on Westmoreland Street are now running the Dáil Bar for the month.
Typical its half way through January,
And he’s jumping on the band wagon,
He was on the boos In Florida,
When there was 800 people on trolleys
In A&E units all over the country,
He’s enough to drive you to Drink
I’d certainly like to give him plenty of booos!
Maybe a bout of sobriety will stop him from spinning!
And this is news because??? I have given up drink till 14 February as its my birthday that day but will stay off drink till then… many others give up to so why should one care about some idiot that cant even manage our health service or give him paper/online time..
Well done to Leo. We constantly ask politicians to lead by example and he is showing the leadership that is needed.
That lad would drive you to drink – I was in Galway A.and E. today …
At least our frontline staff are earning their corn and then some !
That’s just the excuse I needed. I’m going back on the drink.
He has to be the village idiot…. Always in the news acting the plonk…
Another yawn..
Off his mind, does anyone really care ? Just another over paid incompentent gob$hite.
Yawn.
The gingerman pub wont be too pleased !!
Good he might get the hospitals sorted out instead of sitting in the daily bar
Maybe the money he saves can go to making more hospital beds , Leo u got the poison chalice ministry u pissed off enda the creep.
I think he’s off his head…
I might not agree with everything he does,but he was asked to promote this idea and what is wrong with that.If there wasn’t as many drink and drug related problems our A and E’s would be half as bad not to talk about the costs.A person who abuses drink or drugs causes a ripple effect that affects lots of other people.
Is that statement a negative of what he is doing every January?
have your say