Trump: God Saved Me because He Wanted Me to Save the US, World

Former US President Donald Trump  - AFP
Former US President Donald Trump  - AFP
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Trump: God Saved Me because He Wanted Me to Save the US, World

Former US President Donald Trump  - AFP
Former US President Donald Trump  - AFP

Donald Trump insisted that he is “not a threat to democracy” in an interview with TV personality Dr Phil on Tuesday night, during which he also suggested that he survived an assassination attempt last month because God wanted him to save the US - and possibly the world.

During the hour-long, sit-down in Las Vegas, the former president attempted to clarify previous remarks about wanting to be a “dictator for one day” and ensuring people would “not have to vote again” if he wins the White House in November, The Independent reported.

Trump once again laid into Democratic rival Kamala Harris over her border policy; baselessly claimed that mail-in voter ballots would result in “massive fraud”; and pushed the Big Lie that he had won the 2020 election.

Discussing the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, last month, he was asked by Dr Phil McGraw why his life was spared.

“I mean, the only thing I can think is that God loves our country, and he thinks we're going to bring our country back. He wants to bring it back. It's so bad right now,” Trump replied.

Asked by Dr Phil if he believed that “God’s hand” had played a part in his survival, the former president replied: “I do.”

Trump also said that being president was “much more dangerous than a race car driver,” or any other profession.

“I said to the Christians, we’ve got to win this election,” Trump asserted.

Trump also claimed that his comments to Fox News’ host Sean Hannity in December about being “a dictator for one day” were in jest, and were really referring to his desire to get work quickly.



Ukraine Drones Set Oil Depot Ablaze in Russia’s Rostov, Governor Says 

A view from a vehicle's glass window shows a fire in the oil tanks at the Glubokinskaya oil depot, in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict, in Kamensky district, Rostov region, Russia in this screen grab from social media video released August 28, 2024. (Video obtained by Reuters/via Reuters)
A view from a vehicle's glass window shows a fire in the oil tanks at the Glubokinskaya oil depot, in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict, in Kamensky district, Rostov region, Russia in this screen grab from social media video released August 28, 2024. (Video obtained by Reuters/via Reuters)
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Ukraine Drones Set Oil Depot Ablaze in Russia’s Rostov, Governor Says 

A view from a vehicle's glass window shows a fire in the oil tanks at the Glubokinskaya oil depot, in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict, in Kamensky district, Rostov region, Russia in this screen grab from social media video released August 28, 2024. (Video obtained by Reuters/via Reuters)
A view from a vehicle's glass window shows a fire in the oil tanks at the Glubokinskaya oil depot, in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict, in Kamensky district, Rostov region, Russia in this screen grab from social media video released August 28, 2024. (Video obtained by Reuters/via Reuters)

A Ukraine drone attack sparked a fire at an oil depot in the Kamensky district of Russia's southern region of Rostov, its governor said on Wednesday, confirming media reports that several tanks were on fire.

"There are no casualties," the governor, Vasily Golubev, said on the Telegram messaging app. "Firefighters are extinguishing the fire."

Russian air defense units destroyed four drones over the region overnight, the Russian defense ministry said, without mention of an attack on the depot.

Earlier, the Baza Telegram channel, which is close to Russia's security services, said three tanks were burning at the Kamensky oil depot after two drones fell on the area.

Videos posted on Russian social media showed what looked like large tanks ablaze at night. Reuters was able to identify one of the videos as located in Rostov's Kamensky district.

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine.

A fuel storage depot in the Kamensky district was attacked in early August as well.

The attack comes while tanks were still on fire at another oil depot in Rostov's Proletarsk district, about 10 days after a Ukrainian attack, Russian Telegram channels said.

Separately, Alexander Gusev, the governor of Voronezh, which borders Ukraine, said debris from a Ukraine-launched drone over the region sparked a fire "near explosive objects". But there was no detonation, he added.

The fire was doused, Gusev said on Telegram, and residents were returning to homes in two settlements from which they had been evacuated.

The Russian defense ministry said eight attack drones were destroyed over the Voronezh region, but gave no details.

Russian officials often do not disclose the full extent of damage inflicted by Ukrainian attacks.

Both sides deny targeting civilians in the 30-month-old war launched by Russia's full-scale invasion of its smaller neighbor. Kyiv says its air attacks aim to destroy energy, transport and military infrastructure key to Moscow's war effort.