A dark take on Trump's path to the White House, suggesting the assassination attempt reshaped him in ways that should worry his original supporters.

• The 2024 shooting came right before the Republican convention, when Trump had not yet picked a running mate.
• After the attempt, big endorsements rolled in and Trump's legal troubles quickly disappeared.
• Once in office, Trump shifted into a hawkish, pro-war foreign policy stance — the opposite of what many backers expected.
• The Secret Service officials blamed for the security failure were promoted, not fired, and the investigation into the shooting was shut down.

Outlook: Expect continued questions about the unanswered shooting investigation and Trump's hardline foreign policy direction.