CLACTON’s newly elected MP has defended his choice to travel to America to visit Donald Trump after an assassination attempt.

The Reform UK Leader and MP Nigel Farage has spoken to the media outlet, The News Agents,  while he is currently in Milwaukee, where a Republican National Convention has been taking place.

On July 13, an attempt was made to assassinate the former US president, Donald Trump, at a Pennsylvania rally.

Following the event, Mr Farage stated he would travel to the United States for the Republican National Convention as a “show of friendly solidarity”.

During his interview with the News Agents, Mr Farage said he believes he has made the right decision, even after when the reporter reminded him, he has only been Clacton’s MP for roughly two weeks.

“I had to come," he said. 

"I’ve been friendly with him for years and he’s just survived an assassination attempt, so I thought I would come say hello.”

When asked if he was invited by the former-president and then asked why did he come, Mr Farage said it was the “right thing”.

He said: “There were people around him, who thought it was the right thing that I come.”

Clacton MP - Nigel FarageClacton MP - Nigel Farage

“I’m allowed to come to America on a trip like this, particularly in these circumstances.

“I had planned to come originally, to America, and to be here a few months.

“I made a decision, ‘no, I’m going to run for Clacton’, but given the circumstances, it was right I came.

“I’m just here for a couple of days.

Former President - Donald TrumpFormer President - Donald Trump

“What happened on Saturday could have been the most disastrous event.

The News Agents host, Emily Maitlis, also asked Mr Farage about why he felt he needed to come to Milwaukee.

He said: “Well that’s a matter for his team to answer, not me.

“It was the right thing to do.

“I have friends, I don’t know if you do or not, but I have friends, and when they are having a tough time, it is right to go and support them.”

When asked about if Donald Trump is having a tough time, and whether the assassination attempt has changed him, Mr Farage said: “He nearly died. 

“I think that he is very thoughtful about what happened, it was a really dramatic failure of the Secret Service.

“Normally, they are so efficient and so good at what they do, so I’m here to show support for him.”

The US department of homeland security’s inspector general is investigating the Secret Service’s handling of security for former president Donald Trump on the day a gunman tried to assassinate him at a Pennsylvania rally.

The agency said on its website that the objective is to evaluate the service’s “process for securing former President Trump’s July 13 2024 campaign event”.

No date was given for when the investigation was launched.

The shooting has raised questions about how the gunman was able to climb onto a roof with a clear line of site to the former US president, who was injured.

US President Joe Biden has already directed an independent review of the security at the rally.

Secret Service director Kim Cheatle said the agency understands the importance of the review ordered by Mr Biden and would fully participate in it as well as with congressional committees looking into the shooting.