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A host of conservative figures have poured money into a GoFundMe page for the victims of the shooting at Donald Trump’s Butler, Pennsylvania rally - with it now nearing $2 million in total donations.
The former president survived an assassination attempt, suffering a bullet wound to his ear. One rally-goer died and two were critically injured.
In the wake of the harrowing incident, Meredith O’Rourke, the national finance director and senior advisor to Trump, launched a “President Trump Authorized” GoFundMe page for the victims of the tragedy.
“All donations will be directed to these proud Americans as they grieve and recover. May God bless and unite our nation,” according to the fundraiser, which has raised more than $1.8 million, as of Sunday afternoon.
Famous figures have flocked to the fundraiser, donating considerable amounts in the day since the shock shooting. Musician and Trump advocate Kid Rock and president of Ultimate Fighting Championship Dana White each donated $50,000 to the fund.
“I am absolutely SICK to my stomach and in complete shock,” White said on his Instagram account on Saturday evening after learning that the former president had been shot. “I can’t WAIT to stand up on stage with him on Thursday and introduce him at the Republican National Convention and tell the WORLD exactly the character of the friend and man I KNOW!!”
Trump’s daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, failed GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, conservative pundit Ben Shapiro, rightwing commentator Benny Johnson, and billionaire Bill Ackman have also contributed to the campaign.
Follow our live blog for updates on the aftermath of the assassination attempt on Donald Trump
Pennsylvania Senate candidate Dave McCormick - whom the former president was voicing support for when the shots broke out - and his wife also donated to the fund.
A gunman, perched from a roof, fired multiple shots from his AR-15-style rifle into the venue just 15 minutes into the former president’s rally. Amid a rapid succession of popping sounds, Trump dropped to the floor and ducked behind his podium. Secret Service agents flooded the stage, hoisted up the GOP candidate and rushed him offstage to safety.
The former president has said he is “fine” and is grateful that God prevented the “unthinkable from happening.”
He announced on Truth Social that he plans to leave for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee “as scheduled” on Sunday afternoon: “Based on yesterday’s terrible events, I was going to delay my trip to Wisconsin, and The Republican National Convention, by two days, but have just decided that I cannot allow a ‘shooter,’ or potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else.”
The suspected gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was killed by authorities at the venue.
The two injured victims have yet to be identified, but on Sunday morning, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro revealed the identity of the shooting victim as Corey Comperatore.
Comperatore was a former fire chief and had just turned 50, according to his relatives.
“Corey died a hero,” Shapiro said. “Corey dived on his family to protect them last night. Corey was the very best of us.”
