Trump jokes he will start speech with 'As I was saying…' as he returns to site where an assassin tried to gun him down

Donald Trump was last night set to return to the place where an assassin tried to gun him down in July.

The former President joked he would start his speech in Butler, Pennsylvania with the words: ‘As I was saying…’

Trump famously pumped his fist and shouted ‘fight, fight fight!’ after a bullet fired by gunman Thomas Crooks, 20, clipped his ear during a rally on July 13.

Crooks was shot dead by police marksmen in a case which has been called the worst Secret Service failure in decades.

The gunman’s motive has yet to be determined.

Trump was expected to address the 20,000-strong crowd in Butler, a steel town of 13,000 people, from behind bullet-proof glass.

Crowds started gathering at the site before dawn yesterday with Trump supporters flying in from California and Florida.

One said: ‘This is history. This is bravery. For Trump to come

back to the place where he nearly lost his life is symbolic of the man he is. This rally will be emotional and triumphant.’

Sources close to the ex-President said security measures ‘were off-the-chart’ with one saying: ‘Without going into too much detail there will not be a repeat of last time.’ Local sheriff Mike Slupe said the Secret Service – which foiled a second assassination attempt on Trump last month when a gunman was arrested on a golf course 200 metres from Trump – ‘is deploying quadruple the assets.’

Trump was due to be joined on stage by Tesla billionaire Elon Musk, running mate JD Vance and the widow of fireman Corey Comperatore, 50, who was killed during the July 13 attack.