Cool Under Fire: Trump and King Charles Share A Rare Bond

When King Charles visits President Trump this week, they’ll have some common ground to discuss: how to stay completely cool in the face of a would-be assassin.

Trump has been remarkably brave when confronted with someone trying to murder him not once, not twice, but three times — first in Butler, Pennsylvania when a bullet grazed his ear after he miraculously turned his head at the precise right moment, and again on Saturday night when a gunman crashed the White House Correspondents’ Dinner armed with multiple weapons and the intent to kill the president.

More than three decades ago in 1994, King Charles, (then Prince Charles) was targeted by a crazed activist himself while giving a speech in Australia. David Kang, 23, fired off two blanks and tripped onto the stage where Charles was speaking before being tackled by the future monarch’s security detail. 

The whole time the Prince of Wales can be seen looking on with a mildly sour look on his face, without cowering in fear or ducking for cover. It was later revealed that the gun was firing blanks and Kang insisted that he, “didn’t trip on the stage, [he] deliberately fell, because [he] didn’t have any intention to hurt anyone.” The would-be assassin also said the incident was very “traumatic” for him.

However, at the time, Charles and the crowd likely assumed the man was firing bullets, as evidenced by the loud gasps heard in the recording. That’s what makes the British royal’s benign reaction so impressive. 

In Butler, Trump immediately stood up after being shot with blood running down his face and was captured in one of the most iconic images in American history, fist held high while chanting, “Fight! Fight! Fight!”

Then over the weekend at the WHCD, the president once again had a minor reaction to the perilous events unfolding before him. Despite a man barging into the event with the express intention of murdering him, Trump kept his cool. Images of him sitting at the head table looking calm immediately started circulating on social media.

Trump discussed his reaction during a “60 Minutes” interview the next day. “I wasn’t worried. I understand life. We live in a crazy world,” he said, “I said, ‘Wait a minute. Let me see what’s going on,’” the president added. “Then they said, ‘Please go down,’ and I dropped to the floor.”

During the same interview, he said he’d like to have the event again within 30 days and expressed no fear about the future. 

“These things have always existed,” he said of violent threats. “But we handled it, and we’re going to move forward.”

King Charles is also undeterred by the violence that unfolded over the weekend. In a statement Sunday, the palace confirmed that their planned visit on Monday, “will proceed as planned.”

“The King and Queen are most grateful to all those who have worked at pace to ensure this remains the case and are looking forward to the Visit getting underway,” the statement added.