“They Just Killed Him”: J.D. Vance Recalls Shock and “Fight or Flight” Response to Attempt on Trump’s Life
CNN/screen grab
Ohio Senator J.D. Vance recently opened up about his intense reaction to the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a July campaign event, describing to podcaster Joe Rogan the shock that abruptly ended a mini-golf outing with his family and sent him into “fight or flight mode.”
Reflecting on the July 13 incident in Butler, Pennsylvania, Vance recounted how he first learned of the attempted assassination from a video clip showing Trump ducking to the ground amid a burst of gunfire. Initially, Vance feared the worst. “When you first see the video, he grabs his ear and he goes down,” Vance said. “I go, ‘Oh, my God, they just killed him,’ and I was so pi–ed.” Convinced that Trump had been fatally attacked, Vance said he experienced an overwhelming surge of emotion and instinct, moving swiftly to protect his family.
Vance’s reaction, fueled by a mixture of fear and adrenaline, led him to gather his children and retreat immediately. “We were at a mini golf place in Cincinnati, Ohio – grab my kids up, throw them in the car, and go home and load all my guns,” he recounted. He described standing guard at his front door, ready to protect his family from any potential threats. “That was sort of my reaction to it,” he told Rogan, reflecting on how deeply the news had impacted him.
Two days after the incident, details emerged that a bullet had grazed Trump’s ear as he turned his head, but the former president survived the attack. Tragically, however, one of Trump’s supporters lost their life, and two others were injured in the shooting. Amid the aftermath, Trump reached out to Vance, formally inviting him to join the presidential ticket as his running mate.
The incident also underscored the close relationship between Trump and Vance, who had spent the morning of the attack together at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Just days after the shooting, on the opening day of the Republican National Convention, Trump officially extended the vice-presidential offer to Vance.
The conversation with Rogan highlighted Vance’s sense of loyalty to Trump, whom he regards as a critical figure for conservative values in America. For Vance, who was deeply shaken by the attack, the event reaffirmed his commitment to standing by the former president, both personally and politically.
The assassination attempt and its dramatic impact on Trump’s supporters like Vance reveal the charged atmosphere of the 2024 campaign, where political tensions run high. Vance’s recounting of the ordeal on Rogan’s podcast offered a rare, personal glimpse into his response to a crisis that could have altered the course of American politics.
