Product Overview

THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
USA TODAY AND PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER

"Salena Zito.... She understands you people and me better than we do." -- President Donald J. Trump

"You're going to learn things in this book. Beautifully written. Story after story after story." -- Mark Levin​

From the acclaimed journalist standing only a few feet away from the stage when the gunshots began is this gripping first-hand account of the near assassination of Donald Trump - and the inside story of Trump's heartland-fueled victory.

That day in Butler, had the wind gusted less, had Trump's head turned in a slightly different direction, or had the adrenaline-fueled heart of the shooter beat slower, America would have been plunged into chaos, possibly even civil war. As a local reporter with deep ties to the area, Salena Zito had been invited by the president to interview him at the Butler Farm Show Grounds. She was standing only four feet away from the presidential podium when the bullets started to fly. A campaign staffer tackled her to the ground.

Throughout it all, Salena never stopped reporting. She spoke by phone to Trump several times in the immediate aftermath and was granted access to community members, rally participants, family members and local law enforcement officials. "I rarely look away from the crowd," Trump told her in one of several of those conversations. "Had I not done that in that moment, well, we would not be talking today, would we?"

Known for her on-the-ground reporting on populism and rural America, Salena zooms out to tell the fascinating story of the battle for America's heartland and the issues that actually motivate voters. To understand how and why Trump won the 2024 election, you have to understand places like Butler. Big cities like Los Angeles, New York and D.C. don't decide who wins election cycles, but people in places like Butler, Pennsylvania sure do. President Trump gave the author extraordinary access for this book, including to his top aides, to his running mate JD Vance, to billionaire supporter Elon Musk, and even his security detail.

There are moments that define America. The late afternoon hours of July 13, 2024 was one of them. This book is a narrative of that fateful day, the people of the heartland and the untold story of how the president found his way back into the heart of the electorate.

Product Details

Publisher: Center Street

ISBN: 9781546009146

MSRP: $29.00

Binding: Hardcover

Author: Salena Zito

Audience Type: Adults

Published On: 07-08-2025

Butler : The Untold Story Of The Near Assassination Of Donald Trump And The Fight For America's Heartland

Salena Zito

$29.00

Usually Ships in 1 to 5 Business Days Eligible for Delivery
Additional Information
BISAC Categories:
  • Political Science | Political Process | Campaigns & Elections
  • Political Science | American Government | Executive Branch
  • History | United States | 21st Century
  • Biography & Autobiography | General
LC Subjects:
  • Presidents
  • Biography
  • Autobiographies
  • Pennsylvania
  • Reporters and reporting
  • United States
  • Personal narratives
  • Politics and government
  • Election
  • Biographies
  • Assassination attempts
  • 21st century
  • 2024
  • Trump, Donald, !d1946-
  • Zeto, Salena
Ingram Categories:

Chronological Period | 21st Century

Dewey:

B

Features:

Bibliography,Illustrated,Price on Product,

Target Age Group:

NA to NA

Physical Info:

0.96" H x 9.13" L x 6.35" W (1.00 lbs) 256 Pages

Number of Units in Package:

1

Product Overview

THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
USA TODAY AND PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER

"Salena Zito.... She understands you people and me better than we do." -- President Donald J. Trump

"You're going to learn things in this book. Beautifully written. Story after story after story." -- Mark Levin​

From the acclaimed journalist standing only a few feet away from the stage when the gunshots began is this gripping first-hand account of the near assassination of Donald Trump - and the inside story of Trump's heartland-fueled victory.

That day in Butler, had the wind gusted less, had Trump's head turned in a slightly different direction, or had the adrenaline-fueled heart of the shooter beat slower, America would have been plunged into chaos, possibly even civil war. As a local reporter with deep ties to the area, Salena Zito had been invited by the president to interview him at the Butler Farm Show Grounds. She was standing only four feet away from the presidential podium when the bullets started to fly. A campaign staffer tackled her to the ground.

Throughout it all, Salena never stopped reporting. She spoke by phone to Trump several times in the immediate aftermath and was granted access to community members, rally participants, family members and local law enforcement officials. "I rarely look away from the crowd," Trump told her in one of several of those conversations. "Had I not done that in that moment, well, we would not be talking today, would we?"

Known for her on-the-ground reporting on populism and rural America, Salena zooms out to tell the fascinating story of the battle for America's heartland and the issues that actually motivate voters. To understand how and why Trump won the 2024 election, you have to understand places like Butler. Big cities like Los Angeles, New York and D.C. don't decide who wins election cycles, but people in places like Butler, Pennsylvania sure do. President Trump gave the author extraordinary access for this book, including to his top aides, to his running mate JD Vance, to billionaire supporter Elon Musk, and even his security detail.

There are moments that define America. The late afternoon hours of July 13, 2024 was one of them. This book is a narrative of that fateful day, the people of the heartland and the untold story of how the president found his way back into the heart of the electorate.

Product Details

Publisher: Center Street

ISBN: 9781546009146

MSRP: $29.00

Binding: Hardcover

Author: Zito, Salena

Audience Type: Adults

Published On: 07-08-2025

THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
USA TODAY AND PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER

"Salena Zito.... She understands you people and me better than we do." -- President Donald J. Trump

"You're going to learn things in this book. Beautifully written. Story after story after story." -- Mark Levin​

From the acclaimed journalist standing only a few feet away from the stage when the gunshots began is this gripping first-hand account of the near assassination of Donald Trump - and the inside story of Trump's heartland-fueled victory.

That day in Butler, had the wind gusted less, had Trump's head turned in a slightly different direction, or had the adrenaline-fueled heart of the shooter beat slower, America would have been plunged into chaos, possibly even civil war. As a local reporter with deep ties to the area, Salena Zito had been invited by the president to interview him at the Butler Farm Show Grounds. She was standing only four feet away from the presidential podium when the bullets started to fly. A campaign staffer tackled her to the ground.

Throughout it all, Salena never stopped reporting. She spoke by phone to Trump several times in the immediate aftermath and was granted access to community members, rally participants, family members and local law enforcement officials. "I rarely look away from the crowd," Trump told her in one of several of those conversations. "Had I not done that in that moment, well, we would not be talking today, would we?"

Known for her on-the-ground reporting on populism and rural America, Salena zooms out to tell the fascinating story of the battle for America's heartland and the issues that actually motivate voters. To understand how and why Trump won the 2024 election, you have to understand places like Butler. Big cities like Los Angeles, New York and D.C. don't decide who wins election cycles, but people in places like Butler, Pennsylvania sure do. President Trump gave the author extraordinary access for this book, including to his top aides, to his running mate JD Vance, to billionaire supporter Elon Musk, and even his security detail.

There are moments that define America. The late afternoon hours of July 13, 2024 was one of them. This book is a narrative of that fateful day, the people of the heartland and the untold story of how the president found his way back into the heart of the electorate.