Axelrod: Trump will be greeted at RNC as a 'martyr'

Democratic strategist David Axelrod says former President Trump will be greeted as a "martyr" by supporters when he attends next week's Republican National Convention (RNC) following Saturday's shooting at a campaign rally.

"This is a bracing moment for our country, and hopefully a moment for reflection where everybody kind of pulls back from the abyss so we don't see this as a recurring event," Axelrod said on CNN, where he's a political commentator.

"It's been a pretty bitter election to start with. And I don't know where it goes from here," he said. "Eventually, the campaign will resume.

"But the fact that this happened on the doorstep of a convention
has to change the nature of that convention in some way," he said.

"The president, assuming he is up for attending, and I assume he will be, will be greeted as a kind of martyr of this event and I think it could be angrier or could be more somber. But it's certainly not going to be the same."

Trump said Saturday evening that his right ear was pierced by a bullet after a shooter opened fire at his rally in Butler, Pa.

“I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening," Trump said in a statement.

Moments after gunshots erupted, Trump dropped to the ground and was covered by Secret Service agents. After several seconds, agents helped Trump to his feet. Before being rushed off stage, Trump gave a fist bump to the crowd, with blood visible on the right side of his face.

The former president was taken to a local medical center and a spokesperson said he was "fine."

The Secret Service said one attendee at Saturday's rally was killed while two others were critically injured, and the suspected shooter was dead.

The RNC is slated to begin on Monday in Milwaukee, with Trump set to address the convention on Thursday where he will be formally nominated for president.

The Trump campaign and heads of the Republican National Committee said in a statement Saturday night that Trump was "doing well" and "looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we proceed in our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th President of the United States."