Book/Movie Life Lessons: The Day Of The Jackal - Life Imitates Fiction

Lessons from an Attempted Assassination

It’s been just three weeks since the assassination attempt on President Trump, and in our current age of constant social media and 24-hour news cycles, that already feels like ancient history. Yet, the unbelievable events of that day still resonate with me, particularly since it was the first attempt on a U.S. president’s life in over 40 years, since John Hinckley Jr. shot at Reagan. While that incident was dramatic, this was on a whole different level—the near miss, the fist pump, the iconic photo under the American flag.

Regardless of your feelings about Trump, his reaction to coming within inches of death was, in the words of Mark Zuckerberg, “the most badass thing I’ve ever seen.”

I have to agree.

Politics aside, however, what struck me even more as details about the shooter and the catastrophic failure of the Secret Service emerged was just how improbable Trump's survival was.

When I heard that the shooter, Thomas Cooks, had a clear line of sight from a rooftop 150 yards away, I immediately thought of Frederick Forsyth's novel, The Day of the Jackal.

This novel is one of the greatest thrillers ever written. In its climactic scene, the deadly assassin, known only by his code name, "the Jackal," takes aim at Charles de Gaulle, the President of France —

From a building 150 yards away.

A can’t miss shot. 

The Jackal fires a shot, but miraculously, at the last moment, de Gaulle bends down to pin a medal on a wounded soldier’s chest, and the bullet misses his head by mere inches.

Much like what happened with Trump.

Call it luck or divine intervention, but as we all saw in the video from that day, the president came incredibly close to dying. This brings me to the life lesson from The Day of the Jackal: Everything leading up to that moment was part of an orchestrated campaign involving dangerous individuals.

In the novel, the Jackal is known for his meticulous planning and patience in executing his mission to assassinate de Gaulle. Why should the attempt on Trump be any different?

How many others were involved?

How much patience do they have?

Enough to try again?

The lesson here is clear: life often imitates fiction, and the complexities of real-life events can be as intricate and dangerous as any thriller. We must remain vigilant and aware of the forces at play behind the scenes, recognizing that what seems like a singular event is often the result of meticulous planning and collaboration. 

Just as in fiction, understanding the broader context can mean the difference between life and death.