Trump hails "hero" staffer who thwarted assassination attempt with genius chart

Former President Donald Trump honored the “computer genius” who played a crucial role in saving his life during a campaign rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday. Trump introduced the staffer responsible for the chart he glanced at just moments before the assassination attempt, calling her a “hero.”

“I love that chart. I’m going to sleep with that chart for the rest of my life,” Trump, 78, declared as he gestured to the famous immigration chart displayed beside him. The chart had been pivotal during the event in Butler, Pa., on July 13, when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to shoot Trump.

Trump called the staffer, who was managing the slideshow during the attack, up onto the stage. “She should come out. Just tell her to come out here for a second,” Trump urged his team. The young woman, who was visibly shy and declined to speak, briefly addressed the audience with a simple “Hi” before returning to her position.

“She saved my life, in a sense,” Trump said, lavishing praise on the staffer. “She’s a computer genius. She saved my life.”

Former President Donald Trump highlighted the significance of the immigration chart that played a key role in his narrow escape during the assassination attempt. Speaking at a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Trump revealed that the chart, which tracks illegal immigration over the years, is typically displayed at “less than 20%” of his rallies and is usually positioned “always on my left.”

“If the chart had been to my left in Butler, it would have been a perfect hit,” Trump commented, referring to the sniper's bullet that narrowly missed him during the attack. He emphasized how the chart’s unusual placement to his right on July 13 may have inadvertently saved his life.

Trump also shared an interesting detail: the chart is normally shown at the end of his speeches, but during the Butler rally, he requested it earlier than usual. The staffer, who managed the presentation, was reportedly “flabbergasted” by Trump’s early request, underscoring the unexpected circumstances that contributed to the thwarted attack.

* The New York Post contributed to this article.