Transcript of Donald Trump arrives in New Jersey after assassination attempt

I want to go to New Jersey because we also have video of former President Trump who flew into Newark earlier today. Then his motorcade picked him up there and took him to Bedminster. And joining us now on the phone is our executive reporter, investigative reporter John Santucci, who's been following along. And, John, we're getting more response now from Trump's family and the Trump campaign and a video that they're sending out.

Yeah, this is a video that one of the aides that was traveling with Donald Trump back from New Jersey just posted. I know our control room is working to turn that around very quickly. So we'll branch for our viewers as soon as we can. But again, I think this is all just remarkable. You know, as we've been reporting for the last several hours, as you've been leading our coverage with, you know, the Trump team has really been learning everything in real time. I can tell you that. I had been speaking to members, John.

Forgive me, I'm interrupting you just for a moment here, because I just want to make clear to our viewers what they're seeing right now. This is video, the first video that we have seen of former President Donald Trump since the shooting earlier today. This was released by a campaign official. This is him stepping off of the plane that he flew into Newark, New Jersey. Remember, Trump was swept off the stage by the Secret Service. He waves to the camera there. He was taken to the emergency vehicles, taken off to a hospital for treatment, and was told that he suffered a graze wound to his right ear. And this is, these are the very first images that we're seeing of the former president walking down the steps off that plane since the shooting, the assassination attempt. John, sorry again to interrupt. I just wanted to point out what the viewers were seeing. But again, you have been in touch with the Trump family throughout the course of the day.

Yeah. And with that image, I can tell you something that, you know, at the end of the day, look, Donald Trump, we all know, right, is larger than life, if you will. But for his children, he is dad. And, you know, I can tell you that none of the children were with him today in Pennsylvania. They were all scrambling to reach their father to get an update. They were actively in touch with Secret Service. I spoke to his two eldest sons, Donald Trump Junior and Eric Trump. They both were able to reach their father, Donald Trump Junior, telling me that when they spoke, his father was in good spirits, commented about how much blood coming down his face moments after that happened. But again, as both boys observed to me with, you know, their father is resilient. And I think to see Donald Trump, as we're showing our viewers on screen right now, you know, to think hours earlier, that image that we have played over and over again of Donald Trump, you know, with agents warming and pulling him into that motorcade, I can tell you for many aids and sources of mine that I have built in ten years of covering Donald Trump for ABC News, many were horrified.

Several of whom I've known for quite some time answered the phone when I was trying to find out what was going on in tears, prying themselves because of how special relationship they have with Donald Trump. These people have worked for him for a decade, some even longer than that. Sources of mind within the Trump Organization, the president's company, trying to learn what was happening in real time. Now, look, as far as what we know with, for tonight, our expectation, you mentioned to our viewers that Donald Trump right now is in that motorcade leaving Newark, heading back to his club in Bedminster, New Jersey. We're expecting to spend the evening. Tomorrow is supposed to be, or was supposed to be. I think that's a more appropriate word, a quiet day ahead of the republican national Convention. But you got to imagine with Donald Trump, he is going to want to get out there and say something to his supporters, given these images of him walking off his plane, the first time anybody has seen him since he was escorted very quickly out of that rally in Pennsylvania. The other thing that we should note for our viewers is that this has been a very busy time for Donald Trump, where he has really been focused on the campaign.

We reported, as you know, in just the last 24 hours, he was doing private meetings with the three finalists, if you will, eventually be his running mate. And he thought that this rally today in Pennsylvania was going to be, that big event ended up not being the event because of the coverage, obviously something nobody could have predicted. But our understanding is that Donald Trump is still full steam ahead of the convention, expected to head to Milwaukee on Monday, and we still believe that is then and there we'll find out who his running mate is. It is, though, I have to tell you, just as an observer of someone who's covered him for this time, I'm surprised the fact that they are moving so aggressively ahead of the campaign. But then again, not, we know Donald Trump has had so many twists and turns over the last year, and so often they collide with the campaign, and Donald Trump finds a way, if you will, to make it all work. And I think that's exactly what's going to happen now.

Absolutely John. And you're seeing this remarkable split screen right here. John, thank you. Again, on the left side of your screen, that is that image that we discussed, the first images that we've seen of the former president after the shooting, stepping off the plane and then heading to Bedminster, New Jersey, on the right. Those are the earlier images of the motorcade after he flew into Newark, then escorting him to Bedminster.