Trump’s campaign manager reveals why former president moved his head before gunman’s bullet ripped through his ear

Donald Trump’s top campaign adviser said the former president’s life was saved by his decision to look at graphs on the big screen at his rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

According to Dan Scavino Jr., it was a slight movement of Trump’s head relative to the visual cues on the screen that caused the bullet to graze his ear instead of passing through his head.

“Luckily, President Trump wanted to use the jumbotron at his rally last night, so he moved his head slightly as shots were fired,” he wrote on X Sunday morning.

Scavino added, “He is grateful for all the prayers, love and support as he prepares for the GOP convention in Wisconsin!”

Earlier in the rally, Trump acknowledged that he was “going off the teleprompter” and wanted to dive into southern border policy first, asking his team to show charts on the jumbotron screen showing immigration statistics.

Then he turned his head to the side, just before a few pops were heard, and the former president grabbed his ear before ducking behind the lectern.

The gunman was taken out by the U.S. Secret Service seconds after he fired at Trump. A rallygoer who was in the crosshairs died and two others were seriously injured and remain in hospital, authorities said.

Video of the incident shows that Trump turned his head slightly to look over his right shoulder at the screen just before he was hit in the ear. This head movement likely saved him from more serious injury or even death.

As the former president shifted his position slightly, the bullet appeared to hit him in the ear as he moved his hand to the side of his head and ducked behind the lectern.

In the upper right corner of the video, a fast-moving gray spot appeared at second 8. This could be the bullet.

A photo by New York Times photographer Doug Mills shows a bullet flying through the air past Trump’s head as he holds his ear and his head is turned to the right.