Former US President Donald Trump was rallying in Pennsylvania on Saturday when he was allegedly shot in his ear. Within minutes, the incident started making global headlines, with news outlets filled with headlines of Trump’s alleged assassination, and social media with #trumpwasshot, #trump, and #donaldtrumpshot. The trend caught up in China too, where topics like “Trump says he was shot in the right ear” became the most searched on Weibo.
As per the South China Morning Post, the tone of comments on Chinese social media ranged from neutral to gloating, with many comparing the incident to Japanese PM Shinzo Abe’s assassination in 2022. Several others drew parallels with the 1963 death of US President John F. Kennedy and marveled at Trump’s luck. “A simple turn of his head during the speech saved him; otherwise, it could have been fatal,” one user said.
During a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday, Trump narrowly escaped a bullet fired by an assassin armed with an AR-15 rifle. The incident caused chaos among attendees who quickly dropped to the ground for safety. Despite the immediate danger, Trump, the intended target of the shooting, managed to escape unharmed by taking cover behind the podium until the shooter was subdued.