Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a previous critic of Donald Trump, announced his support for the 2024 Republican presidential nominee on Sunday following the former president's nearly assassination attempt.
Trump was grazed in the right ear by a bullet at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. Cox, who had not yet endorsed the Republican candidate, expressed his full support in a July 14 letter, saying Trump was “courageous under literal attack.” Deseret News The news was first reported after the governor's press conference on Friday.
“In that moment, you represented the best of America at its darkest hour,” Cox wrote. “You bled but you refused. Literally courage under fire.”
Thank you, President Trump. This is a winning message and one our country desperately needs right now. Utah stands ready to help heal our divisions. https://t.co/ESKq11gHQl
— Spencer Cox (@SpencerJCox) July 19, 2024
In the letter, Cox told Trump that he and his wife had watched the shootout in “disbelief,” and the Utah governor acknowledged he was “even more impressed” by it. Trump Melania Trump's statement Following the assassination attempt, he praised both countries for their response, describing it as “strength” and “humility.”
Cox said she initially feared “the unthinkable” would happen if Trump was shot, but later said she believed “God saved Trump.”
“In these dark times, it is easy, even justified, to launch an attack — to return hate with hate and violence with violence,” Cox wrote.
Cox acknowledged there were “some differences” between him and Trump and that it was “understandable” that Trump didn't like him “very much”. Said On July 10, CNN reported that Cox would not vote for Trump and would instead endorse another candidate. The Utah governor also said he did not vote for Trump in 2016 or 2020, according to the Deseret News. Cox, however, changed his mind and wrote a letter to Trump saying he would “support you to the best of my ability” in the 2024 election. (Related article: 'I should have died': Donald Trump reflects on 'very surreal' near-death experience)
Utah Governor Cox said he will not vote for Trump in this election and will endorse someone else as a candidate. pic.twitter.com/bLoUwtW5dM
— Acyn (@Acyn) July 11, 2024
“Your life was spared, and now, because of that miracle, you have the opportunity to do something no one else on Earth can do: unite and save our country,” Cox wrote.
Cox wrote that Trump “is the only leader” America needs “right now.” At his monthly press conference on Friday, Cox announced his intention to vote for Trump and said it was his “mission” to “work together to ease tensions in this country,” according to the Deseret News.
