Overview

• In an OAN interview released Oct. 2, the president said his “big plans” for 2026 include to “survive.”
• He argued that Democrats’ rhetoric has “made politics very dangerous,” casting personal safety as central to his planning.
• The remarks follow two 2024 threats: the Butler, Pa., rally shooting that clipped his ear and killed bystander Corey Compartore, and the later arrest of Ryan Wesley Routh near Trump’s Palm Beach golf course after he allegedly pointed a gun.
• Law enforcement has not determined a motive for Butler gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was killed at the scene.
• Trump says he has raised over $1 billion since 2024 to support Republican candidates, while warning that presidents’ parties often lose midterm seats.