Donald Trump runs for cover as shots fired at rally in Pennsylvania

Donald Trump was forced to take cover as shots rang out while he was addressing a crowd at a rally in Pennsylvania .

The ex-president had journeyed to the pivotal battleground state for his last event before the Republican National Convention, which is set to commence in Milwaukee on Monday. Trump's aim was to rally support in one of the nation's key swing states.

Gunshots interrupted the event at approximately 6.13pm as Trump was speaking in Butler, Pennsylvania. The 78 year old was swiftly escorted off stage by Secret Service agent.

READ MORE: Hillary Clinton blasts Donald Trump for hosting 'horrifying' world leader at Mar-a-Lago

READ MORE: Donald Trump's ex wife makes major statement revealing she's open to new union

Following the incident, Trump was whisked away from the scene in a motorcade, and law enforcement officials secured the area.

A helicopter touched down close to the site around 6.30pm, and there were sightings of ambulances nearby, reports the Mirror US .

Trump's campaign had earlier issued a statement about the rally, declaring, "President Donald J. Trump loves Pennsylvania and is heartbroken to see how the state has been decimated by Joe Biden ."

In response, the Democratic National Committee reportedly took a jab at Trump, ensuring he was met with a billboard stating, " Donald Trump was a disaster for Pennsylvania."

As Trump's rally in Pennsylvania unfolded, there was increasing conjecture regarding his choice of running mate. The former president, also known for his reality TV persona, has kept people guessing, masterfully heightening the anticipation over his vice-presidential pick in typical showbiz style.

As Joe Biden's campaign reels from a disappointing debate showing that has sparked calls for his withdrawal, Trump has been lying low, making few public appearances in the last fortnight. However, he's kept tongues wagging.

"It's like a highly sophisticated version of 'The Apprentice,'" Trump bragged on a radio show last Friday, referencing his former reality TV gig where he was known for firing contestants. The ex-reality star turned president is teasing a dramatic reveal of his VP choice at the RNC, aiming to electrify the proceedings.

"I'd love to do it during the convention ... or just slightly before the convention, like Monday," he speculated on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Despite missed opportunities to announce earlier, Trump appears keen on a show-stopping declaration.

At his Doral golf club event on Tuesday night, the atmosphere was electric with journalists. He quipped about the media presence, remarking, "I think they probably think I'm going to be announcing that Marco is going to be vice president," nodding to Florida Senator Marco Rubio in the audience.

His team gave a sneak peek of his speech, with one snippet saying, "So tonight, I am officially," leaving everyone hanging. And in a move designed to keep everyone on their toes, his campaign sent out fundraising emails with intriguing titles like, "Will I announce my VP pick in 60 mins? ".

As the Saturday event drew near, situated in a pivotal swing state and merely an hour's drive from Ohio, home turf of Sen. JD Vance, another contender for VP, the rumour mill was in full swing.

Despite the whispers, none of the rumoured frontrunnersVance, Rubio, or North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgumwere expected to show at the rally, according to sources requesting anonymity.

Traditionally, most major party candidates unveil their VP pick before the convention begins. Yet, Ronald Reagan in 1980 and George H.

W. Bush in 1988 bucked the trend, holding off until the convention to announce their choices.

Trump has acknowledged the advantages of an early reveal, noting that "it makes it easier" to announce ahead of time. Still, he's expressed a yearning for the "old days," when a last-minute announcement would generate a media frenzy.

However, postponing the decision isn't without its challenges. The chosen VP will have to deliver the most significant speech of their career on Wednesday night as they accept the nomination at the convention.

Their schedule must be cleared to make way for the onslaught of rallies, events, and debate preparations. In spite of these challenges, some of Trump's advisers are encouraging him to delay the announcement until the convention.

"RNC should make first night of the convention an Apprentice VP live show. Trump could fire each contender not chosen one at a time," former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal joked on X.

The RNC, following suit, adjusted its rules on Thursday, with a confirmation expected on Monday, setting the stage for Trump to make his final VP pick in the nick of time.

Trump has been flirting with the idea of pushing the announcement even further, considering stretching the suspense to Tuesday or Wednesday, as he revealed to the show's hosts. He's been scrutinising VP hopefuls, observing their media performances, fundraising abilities, and rally presences.

Some contenders, like Burgum and Vance, have demonstrated their allegiance by showing up at his criminal hush money trial in New York. The political scene was rocked last month when Biden had a poor debate performance, leading to calls for his resignation in favour of new leadership.

This Democratic disarray has given Trump the leeway to postpone his VP decision without ceding the limelight to Biden's woes. He acknowledged that the potential for Democrats to replace Biden played a role in his timing strategy.

"A little bit, you know, we wanted to see what they're doing, to be honest. Because, you know, it might make a difference," Trump disclosed in his chat with Sean Hannity on Fox News. Although Trump's approach to choosing a running mate has shifted throughout the primaries, he admitted to having a shortlist of about four or five serious contenders as of Friday.

"I have some really, really good candidates. And you know, I may be leaning one way and that changing sometimes - you know all of a sudden you see something that you like or you don't like and you lean a little bit differently ... but we have a very good bench," Trump commented regarding his VP selection process.