With bullets whizzing by their heads...how two American Presidents risked their lives for a Free America

by Peter R. Breggin MD

As we all remember, a salvo of many shots were fired at former President Donald Trump at a rally Saturday, July 13, 2024. Only one struck him, piercing the top of his right ear without seriously harming him, but killing one bystander and seriously wounding two others. Descriptions of the shooting and then Trump’s subjective details in his speech reminded me, and perhaps a few others, of another man’s experiences before becoming President.

Here are some poignant details, eerily comparable to that other president’s experience, from Trump’s speech accepting his nomination to run for a second term as president:¹

I started to turn to my right, and was ready to begin a further turn, which I’m lucky I didn’t, when I heard a loud whizzing sound and felt something hit me, really hard, on my right ear. …

I said to myself, “Wow, what was that—it can only be a bullet,”—and moved my right hand to my ear, brought it down, and my hand was covered with blood. I immediately knew it was very serious, that we were under attack, and in one movement, proceeded to drop to the ground.

Bullets continued to fly as very brave Secret Service agents rushed to the stage and pounced on top of me for protection. There was blood pouring everywhere, and yet, in a certain way I felt very safe, because I had God on my side.

Most people do not know that one other President of the United States, George Washington, as a very young soldier, escaped unharmed from bursts of sharpshooting with bullets flying around his head, bullets specifically aimed at him that killed other people and clipped his clothing, including his hat, with bullet fragments catching in his hair. Amazingly, it was repeated again and again years later during the War of Independence when, under close heavy fire aimed at him, soldiers died around him, and he remained unscathed.

This extraordinary comparison sparked something deep within me to compare the two Presidents in this and other ways — perhaps even seeking a spiritual connection between the two men. After all, how many national figures, especially Presidents, have faced fusillades of bullets screaming by their heads, injuring and killing others but miraculously barely harming them?

The battle involving George Washington took place in the French and Indian War against the British and the American colonists. The British commander was shot, and Washington, at the age of twenty-two, took over leadership. Here is a historian’s account:²

During the Battle of Monongahela (1755), Washington earned this legend by leading his troops even when all other officers around him had been shot off of their horses. He left that battle with 4 bullet holes in his coat, one in his hat, bullet fragments in his hair, and 2 horses shot out from under him, but he was unscathed.

The French were mystified.

The Indian sharpshooters were amazed. Was Washington just lucky, or was he protected by a higher power?³

Notice the bullet hole in his hat and the fragment of bullets in his hair. Sounds as close to lethal as the bullet clipping Donald Trump’s ear.

Former President Trump described hearing the bullet that creased him make “a loud whizzing sound” and how he knew other bullets were “flying” past him? Now listen to George Washington himself describe this close encounter with multiple shots fired at him without striking him. This is from a letter to his brother Charles, not long after the battle that nearly ended his young life:⁴

I fortunately escaped without a wound, tho’ the right Wing where I stood was exposed to & received all the Enemy’s fire and was the part where the man was killed & the rest wounded. I can with truth assure you, I heard Bullets whistle and believe me there was something charming in the sound.

I leave others to try to grasp this stunning remark about “something charming about the sound,” because I can only speculate in wonderment.

Throughout his later career as commander of the army during the War of Independence, Washington never lost his courage or the protection of what he called Providence or God. He often led his troops, with the enemy zeroing in on him on his great white horse without hitting him but killing soldiers close to him.⁵

Here is a firsthand report from a witness to the Battle of Princeton, which occurred shortly after the more famous crossing of the Delaware to attack Trenton, New Jersey:

January 3, 1777

The Pennsylvania militia have just broken in the face of heavy musket fire and grapeshot [usually fired closeup from cannons].  Suddenly, Washington appears among them, urging them to rally and form a line behind him. A detachment of New England Continentals joins the line, which first holds and then begins to move forward with Washington front-and-center astride his white English charger. The British troops are placed behind a fence at the crest of a hill. Within fifty yards bullets begin to whistle and men in the front of the American line begin to drop. At thirty yards Washington orders a halt and both sides exchange volleys simultaneously. An aide, Colonel Edward Fitzgerald, covers his face with his hat, certain that his commander, so conspicuous a target, was cut down. But while men on both sides of him have fallen, Washington remains atop his horse, untouched. He turns toward Fitzgerald, takes his hand, and says: “Away my dear Colonel, and bring up the troops. The day is ours.” And it was.⁶

I do not understand life enough to know how George Washington’s life was spared so many times that his own soldiers, in futility, pled with him to stay out of harm’s way. Nor do I pretend to know how former President Donald Trump’s life was also spared.

But I do know this with certainty — both men, Presidents Washington and Trump, were acting on behalf of the first and only nation ever founded under God “with freedom and justice for all.” Yes, the only nation ever created to protect rather than to control the freedom of its citizens.

And I also know this: Daring to believe in a loving and protective God and standing up for freedom even when we’re afraid makes for a good life, and when people fail to believe and act on this basis, the world suffers for it.

Is it blasphemous to compare Donald Trump to George Washington in terms of ethics or courage? Washington was more self-effacing than Trump, often admitting his flaws and his need for help. On many occasions he said that only God’s intervention rescued him, his army, and his nation when all seemed lost. Donald Trump’s flaws are more apparent than those of George Washington, who was a stickler for formality and flawless conduct. Unlike almost anyone around him, let alone Donald Trump, he was a man of few and carefully chosen words. But consider that about Donald Trump: Despite being negatively scrutinized while alive more than anyone else in history, his enemies have been unable to produce any serious crimes. To the frustration of all his critics and government attorneys, he seems to have conducted his business affairs with more honor, ethics, and adherence to the law than the vast majority of politicians. 

While I do believe that George Washington was indeed the greatest man in history that I know about, we must take into account his ownership of slaves at a time when many leaders, like Ben Franklin and John Adams, understood that it was evil. This profoundly unethical conduct far exceeds any flaw found in Donald Trump, even comparing the times they live in. But Washington arduously sought to be a good man, and toward the end of his life, he wrote a will that freed all his slaves after his wife’s death. In addition, Washington’s will provided for the care and education of children of the slaves and for the support of those slaves who were unable to work or to provide for themselves.⁷

Who among us cannot respond with admiration when former President Donald Trump, after being clipped by a bullet and dragged to the ground by his security team — stood up as tall, strong, and determined as a living statue of liberty with a figurative torch of freedom held high in his fist and a real American flag framing him?

No man is perfect, and no man should be worshipped. No man can do anything great alone or on his own. George Washington succeeded so well from a combination of trusting in God and receiving his nation’s enormous encouragement and support. Donald Trump has been trying to do the same, but he has been systematically undermined and assaulted with far more personal and political attacks on him than any other President — or any other leader I can think of. And worst of all, now we are seeing early evidence of what may become an avalanche of information indicating that the attempt on Trump’s life was a carefully organized set up with Deep State and higher up involvement.⁸

We must trust in God and vigorously throw our support behind Donald Trump. That is not because Trump is weak or flawed. Just as George Washington needed God and the American people to back him through the birth of the nation, so too Donald Trump now needs God and the American people to keep America alive and to return her to republican status of a free nation that her Founders intended.

Primary Author, Peter R. Breggin MD

End Notes

¹ Read Donald Trump’s full RNC speech after accepting GOP nomination – NBC Boston

² From George Washington to John Augustine Washington, 31 May 1754 (archives.gov)

³ Did You Know – That George Washington Was Considered Bulletproof? – Patriot Academy

⁴ From George Washington to John Augustine Washington, 31 May 1754 (archives.gov)

⁵ Joseph Ellis. (2004). His Excellency George Washington.  NY, Ventage Books. pp. 98-99

⁶ Ibid.

⁷ For an analysis of his will and its meaning in those times, see A Decision to Free His Slaves (mountvernon.org). But to make your own analysis, see his actual will, especially for fervor with which he warned people not to tamper with their being freed.  The Presidents House: George Washington’s Will (ushistory.org)

⁸ Hawley-Letter-to-Chairman-Peters-re-Attempted-Assassination-of-Trump.pdf (senate.gov)

Hawley-Letter-to-Mayorkas-on-whistleblowers-re-assassination-attempt-on-Trump.pdf (senate.gov)

The Iowa Standard about Senator Hawley: Hawley Demands Full-Scale Investigation by Congress into Attempted Assassination of President Trump – The Iowa Standard

Also see, Whistleblowers: Trump’s Butler Rally Was A ‘Loose Security’ Event (thefederalist.com) and IT WAS A SETUP! – Senator Hawley: Whistleblowers Say Most of Trump Security Working Rally Were Not Even Secret Service | The Gateway Pundit | by Jim Hoft

Image: Licensed via AP

First published in AmericaOutLoud.news

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