Members of the United States Secret Service help Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump off stage moments after a bullet from an attempted assassin hit his ear during a campaign rally. Butler, Pennsylvania, United States.
2025 Photo Contest - North and Central America - Singles

Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump

Photographer

Jabin Botsford

for The Washington Post
13 July, 2024

Members of the United States Secret Service help Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump off stage moments after a bullet from an attempted assassin hit his ear during a campaign rally. Butler, Pennsylvania, United States.

The assassination attempt on Donald Trump, and the media coverage that followed, is believed to have marked a turning point in the presidential campaign that would shape not only the election to come, but the United States’ political future. Shortly after the shooting, the 2024 Republican presidential nominee defiantly shouted “Fight, fight, fight!” as he was escorted off the stage. Notably, this image, captured seconds later, presents a rare and candid moment of fragility in a campaign that focused on vitality and strength. 


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Jabin Botsford
About the photographer

Jabin Botsford is a Washington, D.C. based photojournalist and staff photographer at The Washington Post. His body of work and expertise encompasses elections, politics, breaking news, disasters, sports, and in-depth feature stories, both nationally and internationally. Since 2014, he has extensively documented U.S....

Read the full biography
Technical information
Shutter Speed

1/2500

ISO

800

Camera

Sony ILCE-9M3

Jury comment

This image highlights the photographer's quick reflexes and decisive choices in capturing a pivotal moment. The photograph presents the main figure in a different light, providing a parallel narrative to the more performative moment which dominated press coverage. Focusing on the fragility of life, it speaks volumes in its subtlety. Situated within the broader history of U.S. assassinations, this image holds significance– especially in an election year– and offers a glimpse into a moment that may have shaped the political landscape.