Trump steps outside bulletproof glass to hug woman with medical emergency at first outdoor rally since shooting
Donald Trump dropped the protection of his newly installed bulletproof glass to check on a member of his audience who needed medical attention.
Trump was in turmoil at a rally in Asheboro, North Carolina, his first outdoor event since surviving an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.
Suddenly there was a commotion in the crowd and people shouted ‘Medic!’.
Trump, who was talking about UFC and boxing, stood and watched.
Then he said into the microphone, “A doctor, please…”
Donald Trump dropped the protection of his newly installed bulletproof glass to check on a member of his audience who needed medical attention.
It was not immediately clear what the medical emergency was.
After a pause, Trump continued: “It’s very hot here, I can tell. It’s very hot. A lot of people have been waiting for days to get here. I understand. Take your time, Doctor, take your time, thank you.”
Trump watched the unfolding drama for a few more moments, then left the lectern, walked to the side of the stage, descended the stairs and walked toward the crowd with Secret Service agents.
The former president then reached out to the crowd and embraced the woman at the rally in Asheboro, North Carolina
This put him outside the protection of the bulletproof glass that had been installed around the stage to thwart further assassination attempts.
He then leaned over a barrier and hugged a woman in the crowd, who appeared to be recovering and drinking a bottle of water.
When he returned to the podium, Trump said, “You know, they come two, three days early and that’s a lot of stress, we lose them. The only ones we don’t lose are the front row Joes, I don’t know what they do, they have something to do here.”
He added: ‘Thank you very much. Thank you, doctor.’
Trump hugs one of his supporters who needed medical attention
Trump on stage for supporter’s medical emergency
Trump leaves bulletproof glass protection to face crowd
Security forces members stand guard on the day of a campaign rally for former U.S. President Donald Trump at Asheboro Regional Airport in Asheboro, North Carolina, U.S., August 21, 2024
During his speech, Trump took aim at Vice President Kamala Harris’s handling of national security.
He told a raucous crowd: “The world is on fire and Kamala and Biden have led us to the brink of World War III.
Trump surrounded by bulletproof glass on stage at rally
Donald Trump gestures during a campaign rally at the North Carolina Aviation Museum & Hall of Fame in Asheboro, North Carolina
Trump blamed the current White House for the deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan and the wars between Russia and Ukraine, and between Israel and Hamas.
He spoke at the North Carolina Aviation Museum & Hall of Fame from a podium surrounded by bulletproof glass that formed a protective wall over the stage.
It is part of heightened security measures to protect Trump after the attempted assassination, in which he was shot in the ear.
Storage containers were stacked around the site to create additional walls and block the view.
Donald Trump gestures to the crowd in North Carolina
Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump and Republican U.S. Vice Presidential candidate J.D. Vance shake hands during a campaign rally at the North Carolina Aviation Museum & Hall of Fame in Asheboro, North Carolina
Donald Trump behind bulletproof glass as he addresses the crowd
Snipers were positioned on the roofs of the venue, old airplanes stood behind the stage and a large American flag hung from cranes.
The event, which focuses on national security issues, is part of Trump’s weeklong series of counter-programs to the Democratic National Convention currently taking place in Chicago.
Allies are urging Trump to focus on policy rather than personal attacks as he struggles to navigate the situation of running against Harris after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race.
