This week, former President Donald Trump said that Melania Trump is so upset about the attempt on her husband’s life that she can’t talk about it.
In an interview on Monday with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham, he said that Melania was “watching live” when the incident happened and can’t really talk about it with anyone now.
It was live for her. It’s fine that she can’t even talk about it. That means she likes me. “She cares about me.” He then said, “When I went down, she thought the worst had happened because I went down and grabbed my ear and my hand was full of blood.” His words were echoed by the 45th president.
The person who shot Trump, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed right away by a Secret Service counter-sniper team.
One person at the rally was killed and two others were hurt. Both of the injured have since been released from the hospitals. Capitol Hill lawmakers of both parties have criticized the Secret Service for not securing the roof of the building that Crooks was able to get to before he opened fire. People have also said that the agency should not have lost track of where the would-be assassin was even though they had warnings about him before Trump took the stage.
Trump said this about the Secret Service: “They should have talked to the local police, but they didn’t.” “That’s not good, and they were seeing this guy around. He was a very disturbed person.”
The Secret Service has also told Trump to stop holding rallies outside, but Trump has said he will not listen. He told Ingraham, “Yeah, I’m going to hold rallies outside.” He also said that he thought it would be “important symbolically.” As part of that, there will be another rally outside in Butler.
Ronald Rowe took over as acting Secret Service Director last week, replacing Kimberly Cheatle, who quit after a House hearing where she was questioned extensively and found it hard to explain specific communication problems that occurred before the July 13 shooting.
The hearing comes a day after the FBI released new information about its investigation into the shooting. The FBI said that the gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, had looked online for information about power plants, improvised explosive devices, and the attempt to kill the prime minister of Slovakia in May.
Background: The Trump–Musk Alliance
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Musk had positioned himself as a kind of advisor to Trump on matters of government efficiency, budgeting, deregulation, and technology. AP News+2The New Yorker+2
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Trump appointed Musk to lead a “Department of Government Efficiency” (nicknamed “DOGE”) and give input on major policies. AP News+1
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They had a mutual benefit: Trump got credibility and technological legitimacy; Musk got influence and access. The New Yorker+1
So, the alliance was always a bit uneasy — two very different public figures with their own ambitions — but until recently it held.
The Cracks Show
Over time, tensions built:
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Policy Differences
Musk publicly criticized portions of Trump’s agenda — especially fiscal policies and spending. For instance, Musk called parts of Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” a “disgusting abomination.” The New Yorker -
Tariffs & Subsidies
Some Trump trade policies threatened to clash with Musk’s business interests (e.g. tariffs, subsidies removal). Musk was unhappy with moves that would adversely affect his companies. The New Yorker+1 -
Public Insults & Retaliation
As Musk criticized, Trump fought back — using his platform and media channels. Trump said Musk had become “wearing thin” and that he asked him to leave. AP News+1
Musk struck back loudly, saying Trump wouldn’t have won without him, used memes disparaging Trump, accused Trump of lying, and floated conspiratorial claims about the Epstein files relating to Trump. The New Yorker+1
The Breakup: How It Unfolded
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The relationship imploded publicly. Musk openly urged Congress to kill Trump’s major bill, calling it an “abomination.” The New Yorker+1
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Trump responded by threatening to cut Musk’s government contracts and subsidies. AP News+1
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The split grew vicious and personal, with both men trading insults and accusations online. The New Yorker+1
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Eventually Musk officially exited his role within the White House, citing the need to refocus on his companies. The Guardian+2AP News+2
What Makes It “Shocking”
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Rapid escalation: The alliance seemed solid, but within weeks the public war escalated.
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High stakes: This wasn’t a minor falling out — it involved billions in contracts, major policy shifts, and influential personalities.
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Personal nature: It turned from policy disagreements into personal attacks, memes, accusations about Epstein, and threats.
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Unpredictability: Few anticipated that Musk would turn against Trump so publicly, given their prior alignment and mutual benefit.
