Photo of Trump’s raised fist may fuel his campaign

Washington correspondent Ha Man-joo

Former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt at his rally Saturday.

In October 2020, he was stricken by COVID-19 ahead of the presidential day, and suspended his campaign for eight days, which was seen as a major factor in his defeat to then-Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden. This time, Trump had another bad news.

However, the escape of the assassination attempt is expected to unite Trump’s supporters and serve as a favorable wind for Trump in the upcoming presidential election.

Trump was shot in the ear by a gunman while speaking onstage at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

If the bullet had turned a little to the right, it could have been fatal. Trump hid behind the podium and was brought down the stage by Secret Service agents, raising his right fist as he climbed into his security vehicle.

His raised fist projected a characteristic image of defiance and strong leader against political terrorism.

In fact, Elon Must, the billionaire CEO of Tesla, endorsed Trump for the first time in the U.S. presidential race, calling him “tough.” “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,” Must posted on his social media platform X. He later posted a photograph of Trump at the event, followed by: “Last time America had a candidate this tough was Theodore Roosevelt.”

"In a country where a great many Americans do not believe that their democracy is healthy or particularly functional, and where a large majority of Americans believe that the domestic political opposition is out to destroy that democracy, this is the worst sort of event that can happen in that environment," Ian Bremmer, president of the think-tank Eurasia Group, said in a video posted online shortly after the shooting. Bremmer added that he was "deeply worried that it presages much more political violence and social instability to come." He said Trump is more likely to win, saying his blooded face and raised fist will be in dramatic contrast to Biden in the short term.

Meanwhile, Trump’s probability of retaking the White House jumped to 70 percent from 60 percent after the incident, according to traders on Polymarket.

ⓒ "젊은 파워, 모바일 넘버원 아시아투데이"