“Trump has become unstoppable,” thus declared Mike Johnson, the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, following the dramatic assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Just minutes into his speech, gunshots from a nearby rooftop sent Trump crouching behind his podium. Despite being bloodied and shaken, Trump stood defiantly, pumping his fist as he was rushed to a local hospital by the US Secret Service.

The shooting, which resulted in the deaths of a rally attendee and the gunman, and left two others critically injured, marked a dark chapter in America’s history of political violence.

The incident comes just two days before the Republican National Convention in Wisconsin, where Trump is expected to be confirmed as the GOP’s presidential candidate.

Trump’s allies have quickly cast him as a political martyr and the ultimate survivor. Rob Casey of Signum Global Advisors wrote that the event could increase Trump’s support by highlighting his vigor and eliciting sympathy.

Senator Marco Rubio praised Trump, saying, “God protected” him, while Bernie Moreno, a Republican US Senate candidate in Ohio, dubbed Trump an “American legend.”

General Keith Kellogg, an outside aide on national security, noted that Trump’s response to the attack revealed his character, comparing his resilience to past US leaders. “When the President stood up with blood streaming and fist pumped and said ‘fight,’ it revealed his [character],” Kellogg wrote on X.

Shortly after the shooting, Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and owner of X (formerly Twitter), compared Trump to Theodore Roosevelt. Hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman also formally endorsed Trump. Betting markets on the election’s outcome have since swung sharply in Trump’s favor.

Impact on Biden’s campaign

The Financial Times said the attack has also disrupted President Joe Biden’s campaign, which has been marred by calls from Democratic lawmakers for him to step down following a poor debate performance against Trump.

Biden condemned the shooting, calling for unity and denouncing political violence. The president’s campaign has paused its attacks on Trump, with plans to pull down television ads.

While Biden attempts to lower the political temperature, some of Trump’s allies are pointing fingers at “the left,” the media, the Democratic Party, and Biden himself.

Vivek Ramaswamy, another Trump ally, suggested that the attack was a predictable escalation of the legal and political attacks on Trump. “First they sued him. Then they prosecuted him. Then they tried to take him off the ballot. The only thing more tragic than what just happened is that, if we’re being honest, it wasn’t totally a shock,” said Ramaswamy.

Some Republican figures are calling for unity and reflection. Senator Mike Lee urged Biden to drop all federal charges against Trump to help heal the nation.

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum called for prayers for Trump and the rally attendees, emphasizing Trump’s strength and resilience. “We all know President Trump is stronger than his enemies. Today he showed it,” Burgum posted on X.