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President Donald Trump joked he would look “20 pounds heavier” in a bulletproof vest after being shot at, while acknowledging the protection works and insisting he does not think about future threats.
While speaking with reporters inside the Oval Office Thursday, Trump was asked about potential security changes, including whether he would consider wearing a bulletproof vest after recent threats against him.
“I don’t know if I can handle looking 20 pounds heavier,” he joked. “Some of these guys are physical specimens. … No, well, if you want to gain 20 to 25 pounds.”
Trump then turned his attention to the Secret Service agent who was shot Saturday after an armed man charged through security at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, D.C.
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“Frankly, the vest did an amazing job because it took a bullet close up,” Trump said. “He didn’t even want to go to the hospital. I mean, we sent him to the hospital just in case. … It’s still a hit, but he didn’t want to go to the hospital.
“The vest totally protected him,” the president continued. “Still a lot of power behind that shot, though. That’s like getting hit by Mike Tyson.”
Trump said he has been asked about wearing a bulletproof vest, adding that it is something to consider. But he also said he does not like to consider wearing one because he would be giving in to a “bad element.”
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The president was then asked whether he was nervous about another assassination attempt.
“I don’t think about it,” Trump said. “And if I did, I wouldn’t be doing a very good job here. I’d be thinking about nothing but that. I don’t think about it. I really don’t think about it. If I did, I wouldn’t be effective.”
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Trump has faced multiple assassination attempts in recent years, including incidents at public events that prompted heightened security concerns and increased scrutiny of Secret Service protocols.
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In one recent case, a suspect was accused of charging toward Trump at a Washington, D.C., event before being stopped by agents, underscoring the ongoing risks surrounding the president’s public appearances.
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