Butler, the eyewitness account of last year’s assassination attempt on President Donald Trump, written by Washington Examiner columnist Salena Zito, will debut on the New York Times bestseller list at No. 1.
Her book, which won rave reviews and even a sales pitch from Trump, pushed past other highly promoted nonfiction works, including one on WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark, to land in the top spot on the influential list.
It was also a top seller on Amazon’s top 10 list, Thursday morning, sitting at No. 5.
“It is such an honor and thrill to make the New York Times best seller list let alone hit No. 1. I am truly grateful for everyone who helped make that happen,” Zito told Secrets.
Had George Washington moved an inch to his right in Butler in 1754 the French Indian, who took aim at him would’ve changed the course of history. Had President Trump not turned to look at the chart, it would’ve changed the course of modern history. No deal for the steel workers,… pic.twitter.com/1i0fDxFacT
— ZitoSalena (@ZitoSalena) July 4, 2025
In her book, Zito recalls being in the front section of Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. As shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks sprayed the podium with bullets, one hitting Trump’s right ear, a Trump advance man moved in to protect her, forcing her to the ground.
“Butler is such an important moment in American history, and there are layers of what happened that day that tells us the story of what is going on in American culture and politics,” Zito said.
It is more than just observatory. Trump made several phone calls to Zito, including one to apologize for failing to make an interview date following his speech, when he was instead at a local hospital.
Salena Zito has written a powerful new Book, “BUTLER: The Untold Story of the Near Assassination of Donald Trump and the Fight for America’s Heartland. ” Salena was an eyewitness to that terrible day, and understands the unbreakable Spirit of our Movement to FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT.… pic.twitter.com/EZhxVoBARW
— TrumpReposter (@TrumpReposter) July 12, 2025
Many of those interviews help fill the book and led Zito to write that the shooting changed Trump and pushed him to be much more action-focused. Zito told me: “It’s very different than 2016. He didn’t have the urgency of now. I think being shot at and knowing that people are always coming for you, whether it’s lawfare or politics or two different people trying to kill you and an Iranian government that wants to take you down, he understands between now and dead, he wants to get s*** done.”
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Her book is also a look at how flyover country views and supports Trump, and it includes a condemnation of how the Washington press corps lets its hate of Trump and middle America seep into their coverage of the president.
“The book gives the reader an intimate understanding of one of the most unique presidents in American history as well as the men and women across the country in their homes and small businesses who placed him in the office for an historic second term,” Zito told me.