Donald Trump is, at last, making his return to the fairgrounds of Butler, Pennsylvania, the site of the first assassination attempt made against him back on July 13, and where retired volunteer firefighter Corey Comperatore lost his life while shielding his family from the would-be assassin’s bullets.
In the weeks following that first attempt, Trump made it clear he would be returning to Butler to hold another rally and finish up what he started on that sunny day in July. This, despite the obvious questions about the protection he was — or wasn’t — receiving from the Secret Service. Trump told Elon Musk in an August interview on X:
“We’re going back to Butler, and we’re going to go back in October, we’re all set up,” he said. “It’s a great area, these are incredible people.”
Well, he has made good on his vow to return, with a large, and presumably more secure, rally set to take place on Saturday afternoon at the Butler Farm Show grounds. Musk will apparently be joining him:
Headed to Pennsylvania to speak at the @realDonaldTrump rally in Butler!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 5, 2024
In a touching gesture, the Trump campaign and rally organizers have made sure that Corey Comperatore isn’t forgotten by placing a small shrine to him in the stands where the rally will take place. It looks like it’s in the exact area where Corey and his family were sitting on July 13 when the bullets started to fly:
Seat saved for Corey Comperatore in Butler, PA. 🫶 pic.twitter.com/lJw68ajm8g
— ForAmerica (@ForAmerica) October 5, 2024
This closer look shows Corey’s fireman’s jacket and helmet, surrounded by an array of flowers:
— CatholicVote (@CatholicVote) October 5, 2024
There are also reports that the Comperatore family will be in attendance Saturday.
This isn’t the first time Trump has remembered the sacrifice Corey Comperatore made to ensure the safety of his family. As RedState’s Nick Arama reported, Trump, in his first public appearance following the Butler assassination attempt, remembered the slain man in a speech at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in July:
When Trump came out to give his speech on the last night of the convention, he took that moment to honor Comperatore. It was a very touching tribute, with Comparatore’s fire gear on the stage to remember him. The gear had been sent by his family and the fire department. Trump asked for a moment of silence, then noted there is no greater love than giving one’s life to save another.
It’s clear that Trump now has a special connection to the Butler community and the Comperatore family, something that will surely be on further display at Saturday’s rally. And the commonwealth of Pennsylvania itself is important to the Trump campaign since it will play a key role in the road to the White House; it’s unlikely he will win without it. Recent polling shows Trump with a nearly three-point lead over Kamala Harris, so expect to see both candidates spending a lot of time in the Keystone State in the next month.
The question that remains for this second Butler, PA, rally is whether or not the Secret Service will be able to provide Trump adequate protection. Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement, “Today, the former President is receiving heightened protection and we take the responsibility to ensure his safety and security very seriously.” Guglielmi added that the Secret Service is coordinating security efforts with the Pennsylvania State Police and local law enforcement agencies, while also “leveraging other federal security resources to expand personnel and technology.”
Trump’s rally in Butler, PA, will take place on Saturday, with the GOP nominee scheduled to speak at 5 p.m. Eastern time.
