‘Melania thought the worst had happened’: Donald Trump on Pennsylvania shooting; vows to hold more outdoor rallies

Donald Trump, the Republican Presidential candidate and former US President, on Monday revealed that his wife, Melania, was “watching live” coverage when multiple shots were fired at his election rally in Pennsylvania earlier this month.

Melania was watching the rally on television and thought, “the worst had happened,” Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham aired on Monday night. 

“She was watching live,” he added. Donald Trump said that his wife "can’t really even talk about it, which is OK,” and “that means she likes me.”

Donald Trump highlighted his wife’s immediate reaction, “When I went down, she thought the worst had happened,” suggesting his hand covered in blood as the reason for her reaction.

“Yeah, I’m going to do rallies [outside],” Donald Trump said. Despite surviving an assassination attempt, the former US President is adamant about holding outdoor election rallies in the future.

The Secret Service has been criticised for failing to guard the roof of a manufacturing plant from which the gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, took aim at the US Presidential candidate. The assailant stationed on the roof of the building that was over 130 yards away fired shots, one of which grazed Donald Trump's right ear. 

Days following Donald Trump's attempted assassination attempt, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle tendered her resignation.

Following the incident, Donald Trump charged at the Secret Service and alleged, “There should have been communication with the local police, which there wasn’t." He added, “So that’s a bad thing, and they were seeing this guy – it was a very disturbed person, and they were seeing him around.”

The Secret Service has reportedly urged Trump’s campaign team to refrain from holding any more outdoor events amid security concerns.

Following the shooting at Butler Fair Show grounds, Pennsylvania, on July 13, all of the former US President’s campaign events have taken place indoors.