A raised fist, a bloodied face and the steely gaze of a man who’d just dodged death – in that split second, Donald Trump didn’t just survive an assassination attempt, he made history.
Captured in the chaos that followed the July 13, 2024, shooting at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, was a photo of an injured Trump that spread instantly.
To the untrained eye, it looked like a dramatic moment frozen in time – a shocking visual of survival and defiance.
But according to W.J.T. Mitchell, a leading image theorist and professor at the University of Chicago, the image is packed with visual cues that plug straight into Trump’s mythology – blending martyrdom, media mastery and spectacle in a single shot.
‘Not every image becomes historical, right?
‘And the reason this one did is because it’s accompanied by a whole mythology around Trump that has been firmly installed,’ Mitchell told the Daily Mail.
On the first anniversary of the shooting, Mitchell breaks down four minuscule but telling details in that photo and what they reveal.
Scholar W.J.T. Mitchell says there are four key details in the photo that together transform the moment into a powerful visual narrative of strength, survival, and spectacle: the blood on Trump’s face, the raised fist, his central placement in the frame, and his direct look toward the camera
Mitchell (pictured) said the power of that infamous picture was no accident
1. The blood on his face isn’t just real, it’s ritual
Mitchell says the most immediate detail is also the most symbolically loaded: a streak of blood on Trump’s face.
Rather than retreat or hide, Trump leans into it, presenting his injury to the crowd and the cameras like a badge of honor.
‘He has the presence of mind to defy the Secret Service, to leap up, show his face and make himself a spectacle,’ said Mitchell.
‘The blood makes him look not weak, but heroic, as if he’s just walked out of battle.’
In Christian iconography, the blood of the martyr is sacred – proof of suffering endured for a greater cause. And Mitchell says that for many in Trump’s base that visual message wasn’t lost.
‘They saw it as clear visual evidence that he is the chosen one,’ Mitchell added.
‘That God protected him. That he suffered, but survived.’
Trump lifts himself above his Secret Service protectors – a move Mitchell says reflects his refusal to be concealed, and his instinctive need to dominate the frame
W.J.T. Mitchell (pictured), a leading image theorist and professor at the University of Chicago, spoke to the Daily Mail about the iconic image from Trump’s assassination attempt
2. The raised fist signals invulnerability and revenge
Within seconds of the bullet grazing his ear, Trump throws up his right fist and shouts ‘Fight! Fight! Fight!’
It’s not a gesture of fear, it’s dominance, Mitchell says.
‘He raises his fist with blood still on his face, and that combination of injury and aggression makes him look invincible,’ said Mitchell. ‘It’s the perfect image of defiance.’
The raised fist has long been a symbol of resistance, but in Trump’s case, it becomes something else entirely: a performance of raw, retaliatory power.
‘People immediately wondered if it had been staged,’ Mitchell noted.
‘It was that perfect. He couldn’t have manufactured a stronger image of strength and martyrdom if he’d tried.’
Even as he’s ushered offstage, Trump remains in full view – a choice Mitchell says contradicts Secret Service protocol and reinforces Trump’s mastery of performance
3. He’s at the center of the photo, even when chaos erupts around him
Mitchell says that in most assassination attempts, the subject is immediately obscured – tackled, hidden, shielded from view.
But not Trump.
In this photo, he remains perfectly visible. Even as Secret Service agents try to cover him, he refuses to be covered.
‘The job of the Secret Service is to conceal the president, protect him with their bodies,’ Mitchell said.
‘But Trump literally wrestles them off – placing himself at the center of the shot. That’s not just instinct, that’s performance.’
In another image from the scene, Trump can be seen pushing himself up by gripping the shoulders of a female agent – almost hoisting himself above the fray.
‘It’s a visual metaphor for Trump’s whole career,’ Mitchell added.
‘He doesn’t let the state protect him. He dominates the state, even in a moment of crisis.’
Thousands packed the fairgrounds in Butler, Pennsylvania, for Trump’s rally – seen here from above in a sweeping aerial shot
4. He knew exactly where the cameras were – and played to them
Perhaps the most unsettling detail? Trump’s acute awareness of the optics, even as bullets were flying.
‘He’s always been a creature of television,’ Mitchell said.
‘From WWE to The Apprentice, he knows where the camera is, and he looks straight into it.’
This wasn’t an accident. It was instinct, Mitchell says.
‘From the very first moment, he made himself the center of attention – visually and narratively,’ Mitchell said.
‘That’s what makes this image so powerful. It’s not just about what happened, it’s about how he made it look.’
Mitchell compared the moment to Trump’s mug shot – another image that, in any other political career, would have been a PR disaster. For Trump? Merch.
‘He put it on T-shirts. He raised millions from it,’ said Mitchell.
‘He’s the only politician in American history who can turn a criminal indictment or an assassination attempt into a branding opportunity.’
The FBI identified Thomas Matthew Crooks (pictured) as the gunman in the assassination attempt on Trump
The bigger picture: martyr, savior, showman
To some of Trump’s supporters, this image is proof of divine favor: a miraculous near-miss that reinforces their belief in his destiny.
‘It confirmed his invincibility,’ said Mitchell. ‘He’s not just a man anymore. He’s a myth.’
That myth has been building for years, fueled by reality TV, political grievance and what Mitchell calls the ‘attention economy.’ Trump doesn’t just dominate the headlines, he is the headline.
‘He once said he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and not lose support,’ Mitchell recalled.
‘Now someone shoots him, and he becomes a hero. It’s the same logic. He always wins.’
For critics, that logic is as terrifying as it is effective. The image papers over real questions about how the gunman got so close, why the Secret Service failed or what might have happened had the bullet been an inch to the left.
But the spectacle doesn’t leave room for doubt, only awe.
‘This photo doesn’t just record an event,’ said Mitchell. ‘It delivers a message: I am still here, I am untouchable, I am chosen.’
