Indian-American entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy today condemned the attack on former US President Donald Trump, who got hit on his ear during an attempt on his life at an election rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
"We believe the fact that Trump is safe right now is nothing short of an act of God," Ramaswamy, who challenged the 78-year-old politician for the Republican presidential nomination at the primaries, wrote in a long post on X.
"My heart tells me God intervened not just for Trump, but for our nation.
"Today, the future survival of the United States of America came down to less than a hair's width in the path of a bullet," Ramaswamy said.
He continued his praise for Trump and said Americans just had the chance to see "our next President's true character, unvarnished".
First they sued him. Then they prosecuted him. Then they tried to take him off the ballot. The only thing more tragic than what just happened is that, if we're being honest, it wasn't totally a shock. Biden's inevitable ritual condemnation of political violence today (when it…
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) July 14, 2024
"He took the fire, he took the hit, he felt the blood, and then he stood right back up for the people he was put here to lead," Ramaswamy added.
He, however, attacked US President Joe Biden and said, "First they sued him. Then they prosecuted him. Then they tried to take him off the ballot. The only thing more tragic than what just happened is that, if we're being honest, it wasn't totally a shock.
"Biden's inevitable ritual condemnation of political violence today (when it comes) will be insufficient and irrelevant. No amount of verbiage today changes the toxic national climate that led to this tragedy," he said.
Regardless of who you vote for, let's unite around the truth that what happened today is "unacceptable, now and forever", he said.
His long post drew a reaction from billionaire Elon Musk, who earlier reacted to the shocking shooting by quickly endorsing Trump.
"You very much predicted this," Musk said. "I badly hoped I would be wrong," Ramaswamy responded.
I badly hoped I would be wrong.
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) July 14, 2024
Trump had just started speaking at the packed outdoor election rally in Butler town when bullets started flying.
Video footage showed him grabbing his ear as shots were fired. With his face streaked with blood, Trump was quickly rescued by the US Secret Service agents.
Shortly after the incident, he said, "I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear."
The attacker, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was also shot and killed by a member of the Secret Service.
The shooting left one spectator dead and two others critically injured.
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