Trump almost died a year ago. That moment changed the direction of America. | Opinion
Donald Trump's near brush with death in July 2024 and the way he handled it with bravery energized not only his base – but also those who had been hesitant to support him.
A lot has happened since July 13, 2024.
I remember vividly the moment when my husband told me that Donald Trump had been shot at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
It was shocking. I didn’t believe him.
At first we didn’t know what had happened or how seriously the former president was hurt. Then those images of Trump with blood streaming down his face and his fist in the air emerged. He said the word “fight.”
Trump was letting us know he was OK.
It was the moment that changed everything.
Trump’s near brush with death and the way he handled it with bravery energized not only his base – but also those who had been hesitant to support him.
The momentum shift almost certainly led to then-President Joe Biden finally deciding to drop out of the race. And former Vice President Kamala Harris proved no match for Trump.
After the attack, Trump said he believed God spared him to help “straighten out” the country.
Despite the typical Trumpian bravado, there’s a lot to be said for what he’s done for the country since his reelection.
Trump is fulfilling his promise to fix the border and the economy
Trump ran on securing the border and turning around the inflation-plagued economy. And he’s following through.
Under Biden’s open-border policies, record numbers of migrants crossed illegally, overwhelming border agents for years.
Within weeks of Trump taking office, things changed dramatically and border encounters reached historic lows.
The numbers speak for themselves. According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in May, the Border Patrol released zero illegal migrants into the country. That’s a huge drop from May 2024, when agents released 62,000 migrants along the southern border.
Border encounters in general have fallen 93%. In May, the Border Patrol encountered 8,725 illegal migrants at the border, while in May 2024, that number was 117,905.
Trump’s tough measures on immigration are working.
The economy also is on the upswing. The stock market is soaring, and the latest jobs report outpaced expectations. Consumers are feeling more confident with inflation falling.
If Trump would just lay off the chaotic tariff business, the economy would be going even more gangbusters. Yet, even after Trump announced new tariffs July 9, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite closed at all-time highs.
Democrats have tried – and failed – to sink Trump
As I reflect on the first anniversary of Trump’s near-assassination, I also think about how completely ineffective Democrats have been in their years-long war against the president.
They’ve impeached Trump (twice). They’ve made him a federal felon. They’ve claimed he is Hitler. They said he would end democracy.
Nothing Democrats have done or said has worked. And their myopic focus on Trump has led them to neglect defining who they are. Voters have noticed, and Democrats have dealt with record-low approval ratings.
A recent poll from Democratic super PAC Unite the Country, obtained by The Hill, shows that voters see the Democratic Party as “out of touch,” “woke” and “weak.”
And Trump? He is looking stronger than ever.
Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at Paste BN. Contact her at ijacques@usatoday.com or on X, formerly Twitter: @Ingrid_Jacques