Former President Trump reflected on the now world-famous photo of him holding his fist in the air after an assassination attempt during an interview published on Monday, quipping you "usually have to die" for it to become iconic.

"A lot of people say it’s the most iconic photo they’ve ever seen," Trump told the New York Post. "They’re right and I didn’t die. Usually you have to die to have an iconic picture."

Trump was shot in the ear on Saturday in an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

"I just wanted to keep speaking, but I just got shot," the former president said.

ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON TRUMP AT PENNSYLVANIA RALLY LEAVES 2 HURT, 2 DEAD, INCLUDING SHOOTER

The photo of Trump has been re-posted across social media following the shooting and was on front pages across the country and world Sunday. After shots were fired at the president, Secret Service agents surrounded him, and the former president was seen pumping his fist in the air and telling the crowd to "fight." 

Trump told the Post that he "wasn't supposed to be here" in the interview following the assassination attempt. Experts have said Trump was extraordinarily lucky to survive, as just a few centimeters and a coincidental head turn were the difference between life and death.

The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed by Secret Service agents after he opened fire. 

One attendee, Corey Comperatore, 50, a former fire chief of Buffalo Township, was killed, and two others were critically injured at the rally. It's being investigated as an assassination attempt and an act of domestic terrorism, and the shooter's exact motives remain unknown. 

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Trump also told the New York Post that he appreciated the "fine" and "very nice" call he received from President Biden in the aftermath of the event, noting – without specifics – that the race between them could be more civil going forward. 

He also praised his rally audience for staying calm during the entire incident.

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"By luck or by God, many people are saying it’s by God I’m still here," the president said.

Fox News' Greg Norman contributed to this report.

In an extraordinary display of resilience, former President Trump arrived in Milwaukee despite an assassination attempt that could have taken his life. Rather than retreating or changing his schedule, Trump has shown unwavering determination. This incident underscores the profound disconnect between the rhetoric we've been fed for years and the reality on the ground.

For years, the media and the Biden administration have painted Trump as a dictator, a threat to democracy. Yet, in the wake of this attempt on his life, the same voices are now urging calm and expressing relief at his safety. If Trump were truly the existential threat they have long described, why offer thoughts and prayers for his well-being? Their actions betray their words, revealing a deep-seated hypocrisy.

The narrative that Trump is a threat to democracy has been both dangerous and false. Those who truly believe they are living under a dictator take drastic actions—selling property, fleeing the country, silencing dissent. None of this has happened because the portrayal of Trump as a dictator is a fabrication. The events of Saturday prove that even his most vocal critics do not see him as the threat they have claimed. It's time to end this harmful rhetoric once and for all.

PROGRESSIVES ENRAGED AS DEMOCRATS REPORTEDLY PRIVATELY ADMIT TRUMP ISN'T AN ‘EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO DEMOCRACY’

This recent event also highlights a critical failure by the Secret Service. Allowing a shooter with a rifle to gain a clear shot at the leading presidential candidate is a breach of the highest order. This isn't about the bravery of individual agents; it's about a systemic failure that cannot be ignored. There are only two plausible explanations: incompetence or malice. We must investigate to determine which it is.

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the House Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson and Rep. James Comer,R-Ky., have committed to uncovering the truth. They must be thorough and relentless. Given the lack of trust in the Biden administration and the media, transparency and accountability are paramount. This investigation should be empowered by outside counsel with subpoena power to ensure a comprehensive and impartial inquiry.

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The Biden administration and its allies will likely resist such scrutiny, but this investigation is not about politics. It's about restoring faith in our institutions and ensuring the safety of our leaders. President Biden has called for a fast-track investigation, and we must hold him to that. We need clear answers to fundamental questions: How did the shooter gain access to the roof? What protocols failed? What steps will be taken to prevent such an incident from ever happening again?

Without a thorough investigation, public trust in the government will erode further, fostering conspiracy theories and deepening divisions. The American people deserve the truth, and it's up to House Republicans to deliver it. This is a pivotal moment. We must seize it to restore confidence in our democracy and ensure the safety of those who lead it.

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