Witness 20 Ft Away from Trump During Assassination Attempt Reflects on Charlie Kirk Assassination
Matt Coday, President and Founder of the Oil & Gas Workers Association (OGWA), is no stranger to moments that test America’s resolve. A fourth-generation oilfield worker and grassroots leader, Coday has fought to defend the jobs and livelihoods of working families in the energy sector. But beyond oil and gas, Coday has also found himself on the front lines of history — twice in just over a year.
Coday was present in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2024, when President Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt. He stood among thousands who witnessed the chaos, hearing the unmistakable crack of gunfire and seeing the ripple of shock course through the crowd. He was 20 ft away from Trump on the platform. Now, less than a year later, he was sitting in a meeting at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House compound when the news broke that Charlie Kirk had been assassinated.
In the video below on the scene of the Trump assassination attempt, Coday can be seen in the black jacket and the white shirt, wearing jeans, in the foreground.
Platforms for Free Speech Under Fire
To Matt Coday, the parallels are chilling. “Both attacks were about silencing voices of courage,” he says. “Trump was targeted for standing up for America. Charlie Kirk was murdered for daring to speak freely. Both moments drive home how dangerous it has become to exercise your First Amendment rights in this country.”
Coday recalls President Trump personally thanking him and OGWA in a Truth Social post for their endorsement in September 2023, and he twice spoke at Trump’s campaign rallies in Butler. His personal ties to these events give him a unique vantage point on how political violence is escalating in America.
“The assassination of Charlie Kirk is a dark day for America,” Coday says. “It’s a warning to all of us that the freedoms we hold dear are fragile. I’ve seen what it feels like to be caught in the middle of these attacks. And I know this: we can’t be intimidated into silence.”
Matt Coday can offer firsthand perspective on the climate of fear gripping political discourse and why Americans must defend both life and liberty with equal resolve.
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Q&A:
- What went through your mind when you heard the news of Charlie Kirk’s assassination while you were at the White House compound?
- How did witnessing the attempted assassination of President Trump in Butler compare to learning about the murder of Charlie Kirk?
- You’ve said both events were “incredibly similar.” In what ways do you see the parallels between them?
- Why do you believe people like President Trump and Charlie Kirk have become such prime targets for political violence?
- How has living through these moments changed your view on the current climate of free speech and dissent in America?
- Do you believe enough is being done to protect public figures and speakers who are exercising their First Amendment rights?
- As a grassroots leader who has rallied oil and gas workers, how do you connect these attacks on political voices to the everyday freedoms Americans depend on?
- What is your message to Americans who may feel fear or intimidation after these high-profile assassination attempts?
ABOUT MATT CODAY…
Matt Coday is a fourth generation oilfield worker. He is the President & Founder of Oil & Gas Workers Association (OGWA), a grassroots, independent trade association working to save American oil and gas jobs.
President Trump thanked Matt and OGWA for their endorsement in September 2023. Matt spoke at both of President Trump’s 2024 campaign rallies in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Matt witnessed political violence first hand on July 13, 2024, when someone tried to assassinate President Trump. The assassination of Charlie Kirk is a dark day for America and reminds Matt of the attacks he’s seen on those who are courageous enough to stand up for our freedoms.
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