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Donald Trump survives assassination attempt; FBI identifies shooter

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Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt Saturday night after a shooter opened fire at his campaign rally near Butler, Pennsylvania.

Trump was injured in the attack and was quickly rushed offstage, but soon after declared in a statement he was “fine.” The suspected shooter was killed, as was a rally attendee. Two other attendees were critically injured, according to the Secret Service.

Authorities identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, but said they have yet to establish a motive for the shooting. The FBI and Pennsylvania state law enforcement officials said they are working together on what they called an active investigation.

So Far, What You Need To Know

Trump was injured in the attack — video showed blood streaming from his right ear immediately afterwards — and he was rushed to a nearby hospital. His campaign released a statement shortly afterwards saying he was “fine.”

Former President Donald Trump is surround by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally.

On Truth Social, Trump’s social media platform, the former president later said he was “shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening.”

By Saturday night, Trump had left the Butler, Pa., area, according to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. He still plans to attend the Republican National Convention, which begins Monday, according to a statement released after the shooting.

A gunman opened fire during Trump’s rally Saturday night near Butler, Pa., at approximately 6:15 p.m., shortly after the former president took the stage.

In video of the incident, multiple popping sounds could be heard before Trump grabs his right ear. Secret Service agents quickly rushed the stage, collapsing on top of Trump in a protective manner. After a few moments, someone is heard saying “shooter down,” and the Secret Service lets Trump up. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee was seen visibly bleeding from the area around his right ear and could be heard asking Secret Service agents to get his shoes as they started to whisk him away to his convoy. Trump also raised his fist defiantly to the crowd.

In a news conference late Saturday night, Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek labeled the attack an “assassination attempt.”

The Secret Service, which is charged with protecting presidents, former presidents, and candidates for the office, described the incident as:

The Secret Service, which is charged with protecting presidents, former presidents, and candidates for the office, described the incident as:

Yes, the alleged gunman was killed by the Secret Service. A male audience member died in the attack, and two other male attendees suffered critical injuries, according to the Secret Service and Pennsylvania state authorities.

The FBI released a statement early Sunday morning identifying the shooter:

“The FBI has identified Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the subject involved in the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania. This remains an active and ongoing investigation, and anyone with information that may assist with the investigation is encouraged to submit photos or videos online at FBI.gov/butler or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.”

While the investigation is still ongoing, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said there is “no reason to believe that there is any other existing threat out there.” Investigators said late Saturday that they will continue to try and determine whether the suspect acted alone.

FBI and Pennsylvania officials will continue their investigation jointly, with the FBI leading up the inquiry and local authorities handling the homicide and injuries to the rally attendees.

Rojek said they continue to pursue a motive for the shooting, as well. Officials labeled the location an “active crime scene.”

Law enforcement is also encouraging anyone at the rally or anyone who has any information about the incident to come forward.

As for Trump, the Republican National Convention begins Monday in Milwaukee where he will be nominated as the party’s presidential nominee for a third time. Trump said Saturday night that after the shooting that he would still attend the convention.

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Bizarre Epstein files reference to Trump, Putin, and oral sex with ‘Bubba’ draws scrutiny in Congress

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The latest tranche of emails from the estate of late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein includes one that contains what appear to be references to President Donald Trump allegedly performing oral sex, raising questions the committee cannot answer until the Department of Justice turns over records it has withheld, says U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee.

Garcia insists the Trump White House is helping block them.

In a Friday afternoon interview with The Advocate, the out California lawmaker responded to a 2018 exchange, which was included in the emails released, between Jeffrey Epstein and his brother, Mark Epstein. In that message, Mark wrote that because Jeffrey Epstein had said he was with former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, he should “ask him if Putin has the photos of Trump blowing Bubba.”

“Bubba” is a nickname former President Bill Clinton has been known by; however, the email does not clarify who Mark Epstein meant, and the context remains unclear.

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USDA head says ‘everyone’ on SNAP will now have to reapply

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Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Thursday said the Trump administration is planning to have all Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries reapply for the program due to alleged fraud.

The secretary said after receiving data on SNAP recipients from 29 red states that “186,000 deceased men and women and children in this country are receiving a check.”

“Can you imagine when we get our hands on the blue state data what we’re going to find?” she asked during a Thursday appearance on Newsmax’s “Rob Schmitt Tonight.”

“It’s going to give us a platform and a trajectory to fundamentally rebuild this program, have everyone reapply for their benefit, make sure that everyone that’s taking a taxpayer-funded benefit through SNAP or food stamps, that they literally are vulnerable, and they can’t survive without it,” she added.

Every state has a periodic recertification process that requires SNAP or food stamp recipients to update their whereabouts and earnings, according to the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Most municipalities require updated data every six to 12 months.

“Secretary Rollins wants to ensure the fraud, waste, and incessant abuse of SNAP ends,” a USDA spokesperson said in a statement to The Hill. “Rates of fraud were only previously assumed, and President Trump is doing something about it. Using standard recertification processes for households is a part of that work. As well as ongoing analysis of State data, further regulatory work, and improved collaboration with States. “

Earlier this month, food stamps were threatened amid the government shutdown as the Trump administration argued against using contingency funds to fuel the welfare program.

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Trump orders Bondi to investigate Epstein’s ties to Clinton and other political foes

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NEW YORK (AP) — Acceding to President Donald Trump’s demands, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Friday that she has ordered a top federal prosecutor to investigate sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to Trump political foes, including former President Bill Clinton.

Bondi posted on X that she was assigning Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton to lead the probe, capping an eventful week in which congressional Republicans released nearly 23,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate and House Democrats seized on emails mentioning Trump.

Trump, who was friends with Epstein for years, didn’t explain what supposed crimes he wanted the Justice Department to investigate. None of the men he mentioned in a social media post demanding the probe has been accused of sexual misconduct by any of Epstein’s victims.

Hours before Bondi’s announcement, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that he would ask her, the Justice Department and the FBI to investigate Epstein’s “involvement and relationship” with Clinton and others, including former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and LinkedIn founder and Democratic donor Reid Hoffman.

Trump, calling the matter “the Epstein Hoax, involving Democrats, not Republicans,” said the investigation should also include financial giant JPMorgan Chase, which provided banking services to Epstein, and “many other people and institutions.”

“This is another Russia, Russia, Russia Scam, with all arrows pointing to the Democrats,” the Republican president wrote, referring to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of alleged Russian interference in Trump’s 2016 election victory over Bill Clinton’s wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Asked later Friday whether he should be ordering up such investigations, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One: “I’m the chief law enforcement officer of the country. I’m allowed to do it.”

In a July memo regarding the Epstein investigation, the FBI said, “We did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.”

The president’s demand for an investigation — and Bondi’s quick acquiescence — is the latest example of the erosion of the Justice Department’s traditional independence from the White House since Trump took office.

It is also an extraordinary attempt at deflection. For decades, Trump himself has been scrutinized for his closeness to Epstein — though like the people he now wants investigated, he has not been accused of sexual misconduct by Epstein’s victims.

None of Trump’s proposed targets were accused of sex crimes

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