Weapons & Guns

Donald Trump said he thought a Vice Presidential running mate is only useful if something bad should happen to POTUS ... this just a few hours before the assassination attempt, and a couple days before he ultimately landed on a name.

The Republican candidate seems to have unintentionally foreshadowed what was about to happen when FOX News' Harris Faulkner pressed him about not having a VP picked yet in an interview that was filmed just before Trump's remarks at the Butler, PA rally.

He told her he didn’t want to belittle the sidekick role -- pointing out people in his orbit were touting the importance of Veep -- but in his POV, VPs are really only needed if something bad were to happen to the actual president ... and he noted this a couple different times.

Jack Black's Tenacious D bandmate Kyle Gass had one wish for his birthday -- and it's being called a disgusting sentiment after someone tried killing Donald Trump.

Gass was performing alongside JB in Sydney, Australia over the weekend -- and when Jack asked him what his birthday wish was onstage ... KG said, "Don’t miss Trump next time" -- a clear reference to Thomas Matthew Crooks firing a shot at DT over the weekend.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Jack wasn't aware Kyle would say this, and that he doesn't condone violence.

Forbes pulled an article suggesting Black voters might relate to Donald Trump and feel more likely to vote for him after the assassination attempt ... probably for good reason.

The piece was titled "Will Surviving Gunfire Be Donald Trump's Next Appeal To Black Voters?" -- and it was written by USC professor and DEI expert Shaun Harper ... who himself is Black, and was more so posing this premise as a hypothetical rather than a statement of fact.

Still ... his argument that Trump may try to use this moment -- which he hasn't yet -- as a way to appeal to Black voters was met with a lot of pushback ... with many calling it racist.

A bullet whizzing just past Donald Trump's head was caught in a photo during Saturday's assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania campaign rally ... and it barely missed him.

NYT photog Doug Mills took an incredible photograph -- showing the bullet hurtling through the air above Trump’s shoulder, dangerously close to him ... and from his POV, it's likely the bullet that nicked him in the ear. However, that's not quite confirmed yet.

Doug told "CBS Mornings" he thought the defining shot of the whole thing was Trump defiantly raising his fist as he was escorted offstage. But when he looked back at his photos, he realized he had a golden nugget -- a pic of the bullet that probably left Trump bloodied.

Jason Aldean sent Donald Trump a shout-out this weekend on the heels of the assassination attempt -- paying tribute with a song ... take a guess on which one.

The country singer was performing in Nashville Saturday -- hours after Thomas Matthew Crooks fired upon the ex-Prez -- and he addressed it to the crowd ... saying he was aware of what happened near Pittsburgh, with the audience roaring in response.

Jason didn't say much else afterward other than to note that DT was a friend of his -- and that the next song was dedicated to him ... and yes, he played "Try That in a Small Town."

Donald Trump is alive today thanks to an immigration chart that was his focus of attention as shots rang out ... so says the 45th President.

Trump made the claim to his former White House physician, Ronny Jackson, during a phone conversation ... hours after 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks shot him in the ear at a Pennsylvania campaign rally Saturday, according to the New York Times.

Jackson, now a Texas congressman, told the NYT Trump believes his life was spared after he turned sideways to refer to immigration statistics from the chart displayed on a screen while onstage in a field in Butler, PA.

Would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks was rejected from a high school rifle club, in part because he was a bad shot.

The 20-year-old, who was taken down by snipers Saturday after wounding former President Trump, killing one person in the crowd and injuring 2 others ... tried to get in the rifle club, according to Frederick Mach, who currently heads the team and spoke with the NY Post.

Another member of the team when Crooks tried out, Jameson Myers, told the Post something was off with him ... something that just didn't sit right. He reportedly had odd interactions with the students and coaches.

50 Cent seems impressed Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt -- something he's personally familiar with ... which he highlighted with a Photoshop job and a song.

The rapper was performing this weekend in Boston -- right on the heels of the assassination attempt -- and he did one of his most famous tracks, 'Many Men,' for the audience ... which featured a custom album cover of his "Get Rich or Die Tryin" project.

Instead of the usual shirtless Fiddy on the front that we've all seen and known -- it was Trump's face that was superimposed over 50's body ... a deliberate move, no doubt.

The Trump rally shooter was laid out on his belly, took aim and fired shots into the crowd before he got met with incoming bullets that killed him ... and TMZ has it all on video.

We've obtained an incredible clip that shows the moment the gunman opened fire at the Butler, PA rally Saturday -- and you can see the guy looking through either a scope or iron sights on a roof ... with people watching down below and freaking out, their panic palpable.

The guy has longer brown hair, and he seems to be wearing a grey shirt/khaki pants -- and as you can see, he's carefully trying pinpoint a target from afar before pulling the trigger.

President Joe Biden's asking Americans not to jump to conclusions about the man who shot Donald Trump ... urging people not to make assumptions about his affiliations.

POTUS addressed reporters Sunday morning ... confirming he did speak with the former president by phone Saturday night following the shooting -- and he's keeping Trump and his family in his prayers.

As for the shooter ... Biden points out the public knows his name, but not his motives -- and, he's cautioning people to avoid speculating on who the shooter may be aligned with politically.

Cody Johnson's got a message for his fans in the aftermath of the attempt on former President Donald Trump's life ... solve your problems with a ballot, not a bullet.

The country singer took the stage at Windy City Smokeout in Chicago Saturday ... just minutes after Trump was shot onstage during his Butler, Pennsylvania rally.

Video circulating on social media shows Johnson delivering his impassioned speech ... saying he thinks it's despicable any American would believe trying to kill a political candidate would solve anything.

1:21 PM PT -- Authorities have released the names of two other people who were shot but are in stable condition ... David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74.

Officials in Pennsylvania have just identified the person killed during the attempt on former President Donald Trump's life.

Governor Josh Shapiro spoke just moments ago in a news conference with reporters ... and, he revealed Corey Comperatore as the attendee who was killed by the sniper who shot Trump.

The governor says Comperatore -- a husband, father-of-two and firefighter -- was shot ... adding Corey's wife told him he was shot protecting members of his family from the gunfire.

Donald Trump's travel plans aren't changing despite the attempt on his life Saturday ... with the former president saying he's still flying to Milwaukee today as planned.

The 45th President of the United States posted the update to Truth Social just moments ago ... saying he considered changing his travel plans following his terrifying ordeal.

But, Trump says he doesn't want to let his "potential assassin" force a change to his scheduling ... and, so he's flying to the Badger State at 3:30 PM this afternoon.

Melania Trump has just addressed the violent shooting that almost took her husband’s life Saturday.

She explains how her and Barron’s life could have been on the brink of devastating change, while also thanking law enforcement officials who risked their own lives to protect Donald Trump. Melania goes on to express her sympathy for the families of the innocent victims.

Melania says, “A monster who recognized my husband as an inhuman political machine attempted to ring out Donald’s passion – his laughter, ingenuity, love of music, and inspiration. The core facets of my husband’s life – his human side – were buried below the political machine.”

Donald Trump has resurfaced after being shot in the ear in an assassination attempt.

The former president was seen walking down the steps of his jet ... with Secret Service close by his side.

He landed at Newark Liberty International Airport around midnight.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation raided what appeared to be the home of the gunman who tried to assassinate Donald Trump at his Pennsylvania campaign rally Saturday.

According to CBS News ... FBI agents and local law enforcement descended on the Bethel Park residence of now-deceased 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks late last evening. Public records show that a man by the same name and age lived at that location.

During the raid, federal agents closed down streets in the area and neighbors were evacuated from their houses.