Washington, DC: US president Donald Trump likened himself to one of his illustrious predecessors Abraham Lincoln after Saturday evening’ shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, and said that assassins target impactful people.
He struck a philosophical tone while replying to a journalist inquiring about the reason behind such attacks against him.
“I ask respectfully, why do you think this keeps happening to you?” a reporter asked Trump, after the shooting incident at the White House event that triggered a major security response.
“Well, you know, I’ve studied assassinations. And I must tell you the most impactful people, the people that do the most – you take a look at Abraham Lincoln… the people that make the biggest impact, they’re the ones that they go after.”
“I hate to say I’m honored by that, but I’ve done a lot,” he said, adding, “We’ve changed this country, and there are a lot of people that are not happy about that. So I think that’s the answer”, as reported by News18.
Trump invoked a personal remark about the nature of his job and the risks that it entails.
“I lead a pretty normal life, considering, you know, it’s a dangerous life”, Trump said, adding, “A lot of other people, you know, you read stories where they become basket cases. To be honest, I’m not a basket case.”
The US president was seated on the dais at the dinner, organised at a hotel, when loud bangs triggered panic across the room.
Amid the chaos, Trump and first lady Melania were escorted out by US Secret Service personnel as the attendees ducked under tables in shock. US vice president J D Vance, along with top cabinet officials, were also evacuated to safety.
The suspect, identified as Cole Tomas Allen (31), of Torrance, California, was taken into custody shortly after the incident.
Trump said the shooting suspect was his “would-be assassin”, adding the authorities seemed to think he was a “lone wolf”.
