How Trump credits an immigration chart for saving his life and what the graphic is missing
Donald Trump is fond of a data chart that shows the stark contrast of the U.S.-Mexico border crossings between his time in the White House and President Joe Biden’s tenure
Ever since the assassination attempt at his rally in Pennsylvania, Donald Trump has professed a unique fondness for a bar chart he credits for saving his life.
Trump was addressing the crowd in Butler about illegal immigration and reviewing a chart that detailed U.S.-Mexico border crossings during his administration and President Joe Biden's term. Trump had his head turned to the right to review the graphic on a projection screen when the gunfire began. One bullet nicked his right ear.
He has said having his head turned “probably saved my life,” that he loves the chart “more than I even love the police” and that he will “sleep with that chart for the rest of my life.” He has made it a recurring campaign prop and is likely to show it again when he returns to Butler on Saturday.
The chart helps the Republican presidential nominee connect a defining moment from his 2024 campaign to his signature issue since he entered politics. It also is representative of how the Trump campaign has addressed immigration, making a strident argument for tougher border measures while erasing or misstating key parts of his record.
