US President Donald Trump on Friday reflected on threats to his life while addressing a key court decision that expands his administration’s policy-making powers. During a White House media briefing, Trump recalled an incident from July 13, 2024, when a bullet grazed his ear during a campaign event in Pennsylvania. “I get that throbbing feeling every once in a while,” he said. “But you know what? That’s okay. This is a dangerous business.” The remarks came as the Republican president acknowledged a Supreme Court ruling that curtails federal judges’ ability to issue nationwide injunctions against executive policies, a decision seen as a major victory for his administration. Drawing comparisons to other high-risk professions, Trump added, “You have race car drivers as an example, 1/10 of 1% die. Bull riders, 1/10 of 1%. That’s not a lot, but it’s — people die. When you’re president, it’s about 5%. If somebody would have told me that, maybe I wouldn’t have run. Okay? This is, this is a very dangerous profession.”Historically, four US presidents have been assassinated while in office, and several others- including candidates- have survived gunshot wounds. Trump himself has faced multiple threats. Law enforcement agencies say he survived an assassination attempt on September 15, 2024, while golfing in West Palm Beach, Florida. The suspect, who faces five federal charges, has pleaded not guilty. In the July shooting incident, Secret Service agents killed the assailant. One person attending the rally was killed, and two others were injured. The US government has also accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of plotting to assassinate Trump. Iran, whose nuclear sites were targeted by US military strikes last weekend, has denied the allegation. Now in his second term, Trump has pushed for greater executive authority, targeted political rivals, and pledged to take action against opponents. Meanwhile, on the international front, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday agreed to a US-brokered peace accord aimed at ending a violent conflict that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced hundreds of thousands in 2025. The US is currently experiencing its most prolonged period of political violence since the 1970s. According to Reuters, more than 300 politically motivated violent incidents have occurred since Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
