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A Night of Reflection: Supporters Gather at NYC’s Trump Tower After Assassination Attempt
Edited by: Fern Sidman
🚨HEART TOUCHING: A MASSIVE MOTORCADE OF TRUMP SUPPORTERS IS TAKING PLACE IN FRONT OF TRUMP TOWER RIGHT NOW!
Yesterday, God protected Trump from an evil assassination attempt.
WE THE PEOPLE LOVE TRUMP!
Share to make this go viral!
pic.twitter.com/ulcjtol5Tv— Bo Loudon (@BoLoudon) July 14, 2024
The iconic Trump Tower in Manhattan has long been a magnet for both fervent supporters and vocal protestors of former President Donald Trump. Since his dramatic escalator descent in 2015 to announce his presidential candidacy, the site has become a symbol of the polarized American political landscape. However, the atmosphere on Saturday night was markedly different. According to a report that appeared on the USA TODAY web site, in the wake of the assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, supporters gathered outside Trump Tower not with shouts and chants, but with a somber and reflective demeanor.
Hours after the attempt on Trump’s life, an emotional crowd of supporters assembled at 721 5th Avenue, the address of Trump Tower, where Trump resided in a triplex penthouse overlooking Central Park until 2020. As was reported by USA TODAY, the scene was characterized by a heavy police presence, adding to the intensity of the moment. The supporters, many draped in American flags and wearing MAGA hats, stood quietly, visibly shaken by the day’s events.
🚨 NEW: Trump supporters rally in front of Trump Tower in NYC, and even form a car parade down Fifth Avenue
Patriots are coming out in full force for President Trump! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/nyCDYDnQyJ
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) July 14, 2024
Among those gathered was Jon Lamar, an electrical technician from Queens. Lamar had been watching the rally on TV when the chaos unfolded. Originally dressed in a Colombian soccer jersey, ready to join a rally in Times Square supporting his team against Argentina, he changed his plans abruptly, according to the information provided in the USA TODAY report. Instead, he donned an American flag and headed to Trump Tower to show his support for “a fellow Queens boy,” reflecting Trump’s own origins in the borough.
“Right now, my brain is numb. It’s horrible,” Lamar said, the flag draped around his neck. Expressing his dismay at the political climate, Lamar, 40, a registered Republican who identifies as “100% Latino and not some far-right person,” lamented the intense hatred directed at Trump. “Democrats have so much hatred for this man for simply doing what is right for this country. It’s disgusting,” he said, as was affirmed in the USA TODAY report, as he spoke of his concerns about the dangerous direction of the country’s political discourse.
Katie Sullivan, a 48-year-old lawyer from Brooklyn, was also among those who gathered outside Trump Tower, carrying lit candles with her friends. “I think this was an attack on a good man, a fellow New Yorker, a fellow American, and I’m here because I want to see the Republic endure,” she told USA TODAY. Sullivan emphasized her support for the Constitution and the rule of law, expressing concern over the nation’s current state. “I’m not here for politics,” she explained to USA TODAY. “I’m here because I support the constitution and the rule of law and not rule by violence and force and fear.”
Sullivan, a registered Republican whose first choice in the primary was not Trump, voiced her frustration with the current political discourse. The report in USA TODAY indicated that she called for rigorous questioning of all candidates in the upcoming election and fair, even-handed reporting. “I’m very tired of hearing about, ‘oh, he’s going to be a dictator’ and destroy democracy. That’s not true. That’s fear-mongering,” she stated.
Linda Andrews, a 51-year-old nanny from Manhattan, felt a compelling need to come to Trump Tower. Andrews, who identified herself as a former Obama supporter now fully backing Trump, expressed her fear of potential societal collapse. “Things could fall apart at any time,” she told USA TODAY, reflecting a sentiment of deep uncertainty and concern for the future. Wearing a red “TRUMP” hat, she said she was praying for Trump and wanted him to know that his supporters were upset and loved him.
🚨 NEW: Trump supporters rally in front of Trump Tower in NYC, and even form a car parade down Fifth Avenue
Patriots are coming out in full force for President Trump! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/nyCDYDnQyJ
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) July 14, 2024
New York City Mayor Eric Adams described the incident as “horrific” and announced that the New York City Police Department would be increasing its presence across the five boroughs. “No matter our disagreements, we must all agree that violence of any kind is unacceptable,” Adams said,as was noted in the USA TODAY report.
The assassination attempt occurred during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Gunshots rang out about six minutes into Trump’s speech, causing immediate chaos. Trump, seen clutching his ear and then ducking for cover, was protected by Secret Service agents who quickly surrounded him. USA TODAY reported that Trump was shot by a bullet that grazed the upper part of his right ear, and the shooter, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was killed by the Secret Service. The FBI is still investigating the motive behind the attack.
The incident has prompted strong reactions from political leaders and citizens alike. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro described the shooting as “shocking” and emphasized the importance of peaceful political discourse. “Political disagreements can never, ever be addressed through violence,” Shapiro stated, according to the USA TODAY report. “Disagreements are OK, but we need to use a peaceful political process to settle those differences.”
President Joe Biden echoed these sentiments, condemning the violence in his speech. “There is no place in America for this kind of violence, or any violence,” Biden declared. “An assassination attempt is contrary to everything we stand for as a nation, everything. It’s not who we are as a nation. It’s not America, and we cannot allow this to happen.”
The subdued gathering at Trump Tower reflects a broader concern about the current state of American politics. The assassination attempt on a former president is a stark reminder of the escalating tensions and the potential for violence that can arise from political divisions.
