Trump Makes Bizarre Claims About Immigration Chart That “Saved His Life” at Pennsylvania Town Hall
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During a town hall event in Oaks, Pennsylvania, former President Donald Trump made a series of odd statements, including a claim that he “sleeps with” and “kisses” an immigration chart that he credits with saving his life during an assassination attempt. Referring to the chart as his “all-time favorite,” Trump remarked, “That’s my favorite piece of paper anywhere in the world. I sleep with it every night, I kiss it,” while pointing to a projected image of the chart.
Recalling the incident, Trump claimed that the chart had helped him narrowly avoid being shot by 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. “If I didn’t turn to the right, I wouldn’t be here right now,” he said. According to The Independent, Trump explained that the chart, which displayed Mexican border crossings under his administration and that of President Joe Biden, caught his eye just before the shooting began.
Trump recounted that as he was speaking about illegal immigration, the gunfire erupted, but he managed to escape unharmed, though he was grazed in the ear. The former president credited the chart with his survival, stating that it diverted his attention at a crucial moment.
The chart in question was initially presented to Trump by Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who has been a vocal supporter of Trump’s immigration policies. Johnson described the chart as a powerful visual showing the decline in illegal border crossings during Trump’s presidency compared to the “explosion” under Biden. “It’s obvious what the Biden administration has done in that chart,” Johnson said in an interview with ABC News. “It shows what Trump had to deal with and how he successfully dealt with it.”
Trump has made border control a central theme of his campaign, frequently vowing to deport millions of undocumented immigrants and end the “catch and release” policy if re-elected. He has used the chart at multiple rallies to highlight his success in controlling illegal immigration.
This was not the first time Trump publicly expressed his gratitude toward the chart. According to Fox News, during a July rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Trump praised the woman who created the chart, claiming she “saved his life” by projecting it at the right moment. “She’s a computer genius,” Trump said as the woman joined him on stage. “She saved my life.”
