(NewsNation) — Speaking from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, House Speaker Mike Johnson tells NewsNation he is very excited about the days ahead, after former President Donald Trump literally dodged a bullet.
The House speaker told NewsNation’s “CUOMO” during a Monday interview that Trump believes his life was spared by “a miraculous thing” and sees the incident as “a unifying moment for the country.”
Johnson, R-La., said he had spoken with the Republican nominee about the ordeal, in which a bullet reportedly grazed the former president’s ear at a Saturday rally in Pennsylvania.
“We were centimeters away from a very different moment in American history,” Johnson said, describing the incident as “frightening” and one that “got the attention of the country.”
The speaker said Trump is “very sober-minded about the days ahead” and is revising the content and tone of an upcoming speech in light of the event.
Trump on Sunday thanked the nation for its concern over the attempt on his life and called on Americans to unite.
Johnson called for a return to civility in politics, invoking the friendship between former President Ronald Reagan and Democratic House Speaker Tip O’Neill as an example.
“We don’t have enemies in the building. We have political opponents,” Johnson said, emphasizing the need to “respect the dignity of everyone around us” while maintaining principled disagreements.
“We don’t go after people personally, right? It’s about ideas. It is a contest of ideas,” he said.
The speaker expressed optimism about the potential for unity, stating, “I’m really excited about the days ahead. I think we have tremendous opportunity.”
