Butler: The Rally That Reshaped a Presidency

Summary

Morning Wire Podcast Summary
Episode: Butler: The Rally That Reshaped a Presidency
Release Date: July 13, 2025
Hosts: John Bickley (absent this episode), Georgia Howe, Cabot Phillips
Guest: Selena Zito, Political Journalist and Author

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Introduction

In this gripping episode of Morning Wire, hosts Georgia Howe and Cabot Phillips delve into a pivotal moment in recent American political history—the near-assassination of Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Joining them is renowned political journalist Selena Zito, who not only witnessed the event firsthand but has also documented it extensively in her new book, Butler: The Untold Story of the Near Assassination of Donald Trump and the Fight for America's Heartland.

The Rally and the Attempted Assassination

Georgia Howe sets the stage by recounting the shocking event that unfolded one year prior in Butler, Pennsylvania. "[...] one of the most shocking moments in American political history took place in Butler, Pennsylvania, when an assassin's bullet tore through Donald Trump's ear, nearly ending his life and his quest for the White House" (00:02).

Selena Zito provides a detailed account of the incident, offering listeners a vivid portrayal of the chaos and immediate aftermath. She describes being present just in front of the stage during Trump's appearance. "[...] I heard four shots go right over my head. I knew instantly what it was. I could hear people say, was that firecrackers? But I knew instantly that there was gunshot. I knew instantly he was shot" (06:25).

Selena Zito's Experiences

Selena Zito shares her unique position as a reporter with deep roots in Western Pennsylvania, being from a family that has been part of Butler County since the 1750s. This background lent her a profound understanding of the local culture and the significance of Trump's rally in such a historically rich area.

She recounts the moments leading up to the attack: "[...] about five minutes before the President is supposed to go on the stage, the campaign press advance man, his name was Michelle Picard iii, comes rushing back and says, it's go time. We're doing it now" (05:00). Her adeptness at navigating the unpredictable nature of political journalism is evident as she describes the shifting plans for her interview with Trump.

The gravity of the situation unfolds as Zito narrates the immediate threat: "[...] I can't watch it. But if you go back and watch it, you can see him flinch. You know he's hit, and he takes himself down, which was important. [...] And I hear the next four shots. I still don't take myself down. [...] And it's not until a couple seconds after the last four shots where Michelle Picard literally tackles me to the ground and takes me down" (06:50). Her vivid description underscores the peril she faced and the quick-thinking actions that ensured her safety.

Political Realignment and Future Predictions

The conversation shifts to the broader political landscape, with Selena providing insights into the lasting impact of Trump's presidency on voter behavior, especially in the Great Lakes Midwest. "[...] this is a longer lasting period. And this is not a coalition that is easily going to chip away. Think about New Deal Democrats, they lasted for 60 years. This is a generational coalition" (08:35).

She emphasizes the enduring nature of the Republican coalition, highlighting the inclusion of diverse working-class groups: "[...] black working class, Hispanic working class, all working class, have now become part of the Republican coalition" (09:15). Selena contends that such a broad and inclusive coalition is unlikely to wane soon, drawing parallels to historical political realignments.

Issues Important to Pennsylvanians

Focusing on Pennsylvania, Selena outlines the key issues driving the state's political shift. Tariffs emerge as a significant concern, affecting industries like steel and agriculture: "[...] tariffs. That impacts the steelworker, that impacts the farmer. And they're very supportive of it" (13:00).

She also touches on the voters' long-term perspective, noting their willingness to endure short-term hardships for the sake of future generations: "[...] they want something better for the next generation, which will be their children and grandchildren. So they're willing to wait it out if it's better for the next generations" (14:00).

Border security is another paramount issue for Pennsylvanians, reflecting the state's broader role in national political trends: "[...] border security that is incredibly important to Pennsylvania voters. If there's any one state that tells us what's going on in the rest of the country [...] Pennsylvania is the state that tells us everything" (15:00).

Change in President Trump Post-Attack

In a poignant discussion about the aftermath of the assassination attempt, Selena observes a noticeable transformation in President Trump. "[...] this is a man who understands that he has purpose and he understands that God was there in that moment" (16:00).

She reflects on the enduring influence of faith and purpose in Trump's demeanor and leadership style: "[...] he has put his head down and gone straight forward. And even if something doesn't work, he finds a way to get around that and make it work eventually" (17:00).

Selena draws a clear distinction between Trump before and after the incident, suggesting that the near-death experience has solidified his resolve and commitment to his vision for America.

Conclusion

The episode of Morning Wire offers an in-depth exploration of a critical moment that has shaped the trajectory of Donald Trump's presidency and the political dynamics of key American regions. Through Selena Zito's firsthand account and expert analysis, listeners gain a nuanced understanding of the complex interplay between personal experiences, political strategy, and voter alignment.

For those interested in a more comprehensive look at these events, Selena Zito's book, Butler: The Untold Story of the Near Assassination of Donald Trump and the Fight for America's Heartland, is available on major platforms like Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

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This summary captures the essence of the podcast episode, highlighting key discussions, insights, and notable quotes to provide a comprehensive overview for those who haven't listened.

Transcript

[Georgia Howe]

One year ago today, one of the most shocking moments in American political history took place in Butler, Pennsylvania, when an assassin's bullet tore through Donald Trump's ear, nearly ending his life and his quest for the White House.

[Cabot Phillips]

In today's episode, we're joined by political journalist Selena Zito, who was in Butler to interview the president and was sitting just in front of the stage when that happened. I'm Georgia Howe with Cabot Phillips. John is off this week. It's Sunday, July 13th, and this is a weekend edition of Wire.

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[Cabot Phillips]

Joining us now is Selena Zito, who documents what she witnessed in Pennsylvania in a new book called Butler the Untold Story of the Near Assassination of Donald Trump and the Fight for America's Heartland. Selena, thank you so much for coming on.

[Selena Zito]

Oh, my goodness. Thank you guys so much for having me. I'm really honored to be here and I'm really excited to talk about the book.

[Cabot Phillips]

You had probably the best, closest seat to one of the most memorable moments in political history just in living memory. And now you've written a book about it. You wrote this book, Butler the Untold Story of the Near Assassination of Donald Trump and the Fight for America's Heartland. Tell us a little bit about what that was like and what your book.

[Selena Zito]

Is about, being there in that moment right when you're a reporter, it's really interesting. You tend to turn off what would be natural instincts to get yourself out of danger, which is what I did that day started with me with the what the plan was. I was going to interview President Trump for five minutes before the rally. That soon changed to five minutes after the rally. That then changed to a call from Susie Wiles asking me if I would fly to Bedminster and do the interview on the plane and then they would get me back home. So when you're a reporter, you sort of have to adapt to those kinds of things. Usually it means you're not getting the interview, but it just turned out to be better that day. And if listeners aren't familiar with me. I grew up in western Pennsylvania. My family was one of the founding families of Butler county in the 1750s. So I really have an understanding of place and rootedness. I understood the importance of him showing up in Butler that day because it was. He was reaching a broad amount of people. Even though it's a very out of the way county, the political implications were important for him in winning the state of Pennsylvania. And so about five minutes before the President is supposed to go on the stage, the campaign press advance man, his name was Michelle Picard iii, comes rushing back and says, it's go time. We're doing it now. Like, okay. So we rush through and we get to the back of the stage and I ask him, like, where are we doing this interview? My daughter was with me. She's a photojournalist. In fact, she took the photo, the COVID of Butler and the poor Michelle. He said, I actually have no idea where you're interviewing him. So he goes around the bend, which is where President Trump is, and he comes back and he says, we're not doing the interview right now. He just wants to say hi to you. And so I go around, and President Trump always says, I have the best hair in America. And it's pretty funny. And I get really embarrassed because there's all these people around. There's mostly state troopers and firemen and first responders. They're back there to meet the President. He always does that. And he asks. He gives me a big hug. He asks about my grandchildren. He knows that I have a lot of grandchildren. We talk about each other's grandchildren. And then he says, okay, well, looking forward to doing the interview about Pennsylvania. Well, at that point, I can hear the beginning of Lee Greenwood's song, right? So I know he's ready to go out on stage. So they decide to just put myself and my daughter inside the buffer. The buffer is an area between the stage that the President is on and the rally attendees. And it's usually used by photojournalists and Secret Service. So they put me there and say, okay, we can't get you back to the press riser enough time after the President goes out, just sort of make your way over to the other side, get your photos, whatever you want to do, and just be ready to leave with the motorcade. So that's exactly what we do do. And we go around, he gets to the podium. I have lots of video. But, you know, if people were following me that day, I was chronicling the whole thing. And then he does two Things that he never does, ever. I've covered dozens of Trump rallies. He decides to put a chart down. And I remember saying to my daughter, what does he think he is, Ross Perot? Why? Why is there a chart? And then he does something else that he never does, and he turns his neck away from the audience members. And why that is significant is if you've ever been to a Trump rally or even if you've ever watched one, the relationship between the attendees and President Trump is very transactional. He feeds off of them, and they feed off of him. So he may turn his body to face different audiences, different sections, but he never turns his neck away. Never. And in that moment, the chart goes down, he turns his neck away, and I hear four shots go right over my head. And I knew instantly what it was. I'm a gun owner. I knew exist. Yeah. I could hear people say, was that firecrackers? But I knew instantly that there was gunshot. I knew instantly he was shot. I saw him grab his ear, and I see this blood streak across his face. And if you go back and watch it, I can't watch it. But if you go back and watch it, you can see him flinch. You know he's hit, and he takes himself down, which was important. This is the first thing I'm noting in my head. Okay, he's not knocked down. He took himself down. This means he may not be gravely injured. He's surrounded by a sea of navy blue suits, the Secret Service. And then I hear the next four shots. I still don't take myself down. I'm in this moment believing that I have a purpose, there's a reason I'm there, I'm not supposed to be there. And I need to chronicle this. And it's not until a couple seconds after the last four shots where Michelle Picard literally tackles me to the ground and takes me down and he covers my body to make sure that I'm okay until it's all clear. And I will never forget what that young man did.

[Cabot Phillips]

I mean, that's an amazing story, and I'd love to hear even more about it. But there were other things that you touched on that make me feel like you have sort of a deep knowledge that hopefully you went into in your book, but I want to talk about. So just from your description, it sounds like you have a somewhat close relationship with the President. You've been following him for years now. Can you tell us how you got. Became close to the president and how you first got involved with covering his movement?

[Selena Zito]

I remember him Coming down, covering him, coming down the escalator. And I remember everyone else talking. I can't remember. I think it was like, Mexicans or something, right? Like, he was talking about a wall. And every reporter really paid attention to that. And I, you know, I'm from Western Pennsylvania, so my coverage is very different. I'm not saying it's better, it's just different. And I heard him talk about the dignity of work and how communities felt left behind. And I cover the people that feel that way. And I thought, oh, this is profound. This is really, really important. And so that was the beginning of covering him. I followed that election. I followed it from my home state of Pennsylvania. But I also cover Ohio, which, if people don't remember, Ohio voted for Obama twice. So it wasn't a red state. I also was in Wisconsin and Michigan, also Iowa. Iowa went for Obama. I believe that the heart of that election cycle was the Great Lakes Midwest, right? That sort of Appalachia Midwest area. And that's where the election was going to be decided. And he was making inroads with voters that would not normally vote for a Republican alongside with traditional Republican voters. And so I saw and understood that movement when the first time I interviewed him was in Pittsburgh in September of 2016. I had lost my job the day before. They had offered buyouts, and it was pretty clear I had to take the buyout. So I wrote the story for the Atlantic, and I said in that story to him, and two things were important about that story. After I did the interview with him, he said, you want to take a walk with me, Zito? I'm like, okay. And there was no cameras. We weren't recording. And I just watched how he was so much more interested in talking to the people that were making the convention that he was speaking at work. You know, the janitors, the people that were the caterers, the electricians, the plumbers, all those people that made that convention outside side of the walls look beautiful. That's where he was connecting with people, and he was asking them about their lives and what do they do? What's your family like? And it was a really interesting glimpse into the curiosity that he has about people. And that was really important about that interview. But also I said to him, you know, I feel like I straddled two different worlds. You know, voters take you seriously, but they don't take everything you say literally. Where my profession takes everything you say literally, and they don't take your candidacy very seriously. And so it was in that moment of understanding who he was and the voter that people didn't see, and more importantly, the voter that a lot of reporters didn't respect that I think that he and I developed a mutual respect for each other.

[Georgia Howe]

Selina, you obviously have covered the Great Lakes region better than any reporter out there. I'm interested in your take in the future. Do you think that the turn we saw from those Rust Belt states towards Republicans is lasting, or do you think this is something that could fade away if there's no more Donald Trump on.

[Selena Zito]

The ticket, so there'll never be another one like him? Obviously, however, there are. The Democrats have done absolutely nothing to earn those voters back and even attempt to in almost years since he's won this election cycle. And I think, at least for a generation, that in, in the same way that FDR had a broad impact on the American electorate in the way that Teddy Roosevelt did as well, this is a longer lasting period. And this is not a coalition that is easily going to chip away. Think about New Deal Democrats, they lasted for 60 years. This is a generational coalition and at the heart of it is the middle class. And while my profession often talks about white working class, what they missed, and that's what this book really covers after Butler, is the galvanization of black working class, Hispanic working class, all working class, have now become part of the Republican coalition. And you cannot win a statewide election without the working class.

[Cabot Phillips]

You've been on the ground in Pennsylvania and it sounds like you have very deep roots there. Pennsylvania specifically has seen one of the most dramatic political realignments of any state in recent political history. So just of the people you know and people that you've kind of seen over the past decade or even more, what are the issues that really matter to them? And I know, of course you talked about the dignity of work, but there are also a lot of culture war issues and other kind of economic issues. What is really resonating with Pennsylvanians, my.

[Selena Zito]

State has changed dramatically. And Biden's win, I remember writing this in 2020, that was a fluke and that was caused by Covid. This state was already becoming very Republican. People just didn't notice that. And it was from the ground up. But the issues that are really important in particular in a state like Pennsylvania are tariffs. That impacts the steelworker, that impacts the farmer. And they're very supportive of it. And what's really interesting is they know that even the energy worker, they know that there are times that there's going to be a pinch from it if it doesn't work. The way that initially the president wants it to. But in the long term, and they're willing to ride it out because these voters, because they're so rooted, right, eight out of 10 people in Pennsylvania live within 50 to 100 miles of where they grew up. They want something better for the next generation, which will be their children and grandchildren. So they're willing to wait it out if it's better for the next generations. And border security that is incredibly important to Pennsylvania voters. If there's any one state that its state that tells us what's going on in the rest of the country, I don't say this vainly because I'm from Pennsylvania. I'm saying this realistically. Pennsylvania is the state that tells us everything.

[Georgia Howe]

One final question, Selina, and thank you so much again for your time. Bringing it back to Butler, was there any change that you saw in the president after that attempt on his life? Is there a line of demarcation, a before and after that you've noticed, or is he still the same man?

[Selena Zito]

Oh, no, definitely a change. And this is a man who understands that he has purpose and he understands that God was there in that moment. Now, do I think he's going to be someone that goes to mass every Sunday? No. But do I think God is ever present in his mind? Absolutely. And you see it every day in the day after the assassination of Chen, President Trump called me seven times. We talked a lot about what is my purpose, not meeting me, but him and the hand of God in that moment because he, he's, he is. I have no explanation as to why I turned my head. I have no explanation as to why that chart came down. That can only be the hand of God and that, that I have purpose outside of Donald Trump, the man. I am supposed to do the right things by the country, as I see the country should look. And you see that every day in him. You see that since the moment he was inaugurated, he has put his head down and gone straight forward. And even if something doesn't work, he finds a way to get around that and make it work eventually. And that is that sort of purpose driven life that he, I think I know he lacked before that. And you can see the difference between the first six months of 2017 and the first six months of 2025.

[Cabot Phillips]

Well, Selena, thank you so much for making time for us today.

[Selena Zito]

Oh, my goodness. Thanks so much for having me.

[Cabot Phillips]

Now, where can people get your book?

[Selena Zito]

Oh, you can get it on Amazon. Barnes and Noble Independent Bookstore. I'm really proud of the COVID My daughter took that photo. And I think that photo is really powerful because it shows that that transactional, you know, relationship between him and the people at the rally, and it just sort of puts an exclamation point on that. He turned his head away and he normally doesn't.

[Cabot Phillips]

That was author and journalist Selena Zito. And this has been a weekend edition of Morning Wire.