Here's What Donald Trump Plans Next After the Near-Miss Assassination at Pennsylvania Rally

Former President Donald Trump is refusing to let his assassination attempt disrupt his campaign. It appears like nothing, including mortal danger, can prevent him from running for president. Despite being shot in the ear at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, Trump plans to attend the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week. "President Trump looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we proceed with our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th President of the United States," a joint statement from Trump campaign aides and RNC leadership read.

The shots were fired from a nearby rooftop grazing the 'upper part' of his right ear, Trump described. As blood ran down his face, Secret Service personnel rushed him off the stage. Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was identified as the gunman by law enforcement officials. The Secret Service killed Crooks with a shot to the head however the motive behind the assassination attempt is yet to be known as he was a registered Republican. Corey Comperatore, a rally attendee, was killed while shielding his family from gunfire. Two others were badly injured, as per Reuters.

Officials from both parties condemned the violence. "There’s no place in America for this type of violence. It’s sick," penned President Joe Biden. Trump arrived in Milwaukee on Sunday evening to prepare for the convention. In a social media post, Trump struck a unifying tone, "In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our true character as Americans, remaining strong and determined, and not allowing evil to win." Interestingly, Trump told the Washington Examiner he had rewritten his convention speech to focus more on national unity than criticizing Biden's policies, as per AP News.

Meanwhile, many Republicans are blaming Biden and Democrats for promoting a toxic environment through their language that portrays Trump as a threat to democracy. It's unclear whether this incident will cause Biden to reconsider his campaign plan. The assassination attempt has generated serious concerns about security procedures. FBI Deputy Director, Paul Abbate. said it was 'surprising' how near the gunman came before firing. The Secret Service is currently under investigation and the House Oversight Committee has summoned Director Kimberly Cheatle to testify at an upcoming hearing.

As the country grapples with the violence and the lives lost of innocent bystanders, both Trump and Biden are urging for calm. Biden asked Americans to "cool it down' and settle differences 'at the ballot box.' For now, the Republican convention will go on as planned, with Trump set to officially accept his party's candidacy on Thursday. With both candidates being in their late 70s and early 80s, there's a lot of concern about succession and stability.