Trump Survives Second Assassination Attempt in 65 Days

Donald Trump was the target Sunday of “what appears to be an attempted assassination” at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, the FBI said, just nine weeks after the Republican presidential nominee survived another attempt on his life.

The attempted assassin, Ryan Routh, is a clearly unstable man whose social media posts suggest he was obsessed with supporting Ukraine and thought that Trump is a threat to democracy—exactly what Democrats, including Kamala Harris, have been continuously accusing Trump of being.

Secret Service agents posted a few holes up from where Trump was playing noticed the muzzle of an AK-style rifle sticking through the shrubbery that lines the course, roughly 400 yards away. An agent fired, and the gunman dropped the rifle and fled in an SUV, leaving the firearm behind along with two backpacks, a scope used for aiming, and a GoPro camera, Palm Beach County sheriff Ric Bradshaw said. The man was later taken into custody in a neighboring county.

In an email to supporters, Trump said, “There were gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumors start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I am safe and well!”

“Nothing will slow me down,” he added. “I will never surrender!”

An email to Trump campaign staffers said, “This is not a matter that we take lightly. Your safety is always our top priority. We ask that you remain vigilant in your daily comings and goings… As we enter the last 50 days of President Trump’s campaign, we must remember that we will only be able save America from those who seek to destroy it by working together as one team.”

In the aftermath, Trump checked in with allies, including running mate Ohio senator J.D. Vance and South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham.

Trump’s take

Trump publicly detailed the second assassination attempt against him for the first time on Monday, praising the quick actions of the Secret Service, law enforcement, and a sharp-witted witness who helped capture the suspect.

“It was very peaceful, very beautiful weather, everything was beautiful, a nice place to be,” Trump said. “All of a sudden, we heard shots being fired in the air—probably four or five—and it sounded like bullets. But Secret Service knew immediately it was bullets, and they grabbed me.”

Trump explained how he was quickly moved off the golf course by the Secret Service. “We got into the carts and moved along pretty good,” Trump said. “The agent did a fantastic job. There was no question that we were off that course. I would have loved to have sunk that last putt, but we decided, let’s get out of here.”

Trump recounted how one of the Secret Service agents spotted the gunman’s weapon through the bushes and immediately engaged. “He started shooting at the barrel, started shooting in the bushes,” Trump said. “Could only see the barrel. Based on that, he started shooting and ran toward the target.”

Trump went on to credit a civilian witness, a woman, for playing a crucial role in the suspect’s capture. The witness reportedly followed the gunman as he fled and took a photo of the back of his car, which led to his identification. “The civilian did a phenomenal job,” Trump said. “Who would think, you could take a thousand situations like that, how many people would have the brainpower to follow him and take pictures of the back of his truck?”

The photo, which included the vehicle’s license plate, allowed law enforcement to track the suspect down quickly. “They got the license, and after that, there’s all sorts of technology where they can literally pinpoint where this truck is,” Trump noted. “I never knew something like that existed…

“It was quite something, but it worked out well, and Secret Service did an excellent job. They have the man behind bars, and hopefully he’s going to be there for a long time. Dangerous person; very, very dangerous person.”

How did the Secret Service do?

Trump had returned to Florida this weekend from a West Coast swing that included a Friday-night rally in Las Vegas and a Utah fundraiser. His campaign had not advised about any public plans for Trump on Sunday. He often spends the morning playing golf before having lunch at the club, one of three he owns in the state.

He has had a stepped-up security footprint since the assassination attempt in July. When he has been at Trump Tower in New York, parked dump trucks have formed a wall outside the building. At outdoor rallies, he now speaks from behind an enclosure of bulletproof glass.

The Florida golf course was partially shut down for Trump as he played, but there are several areas around the perimeter of the property where golfers are visible from the fence line. Secret Service agents and officers in golf carts and on ATVs generally secure the area several holes ahead and behind Trump when he plays. Agents also usually bring an armored vehicle onto the course to shelter Trump quickly should a threat arise.

The Palm Beach County sheriff said the entire golf course would have been lined with law enforcement if Trump were the president, but because he is not, “security is limited to the areas that the Secret Service deems possible.”

“I would imagine that the next time he comes to the golf course, there will probably be a little more people around the perimeter,” Bradshaw said. “But the Secret Service did exactly what they should have done, they provided exactly what the protection should have been, and their agent did a fantastic job.”

Former presidents and their spouses have Secret Service protection for life, but the security around former presidents varies according to threat levels and exposure, with the toughest typically being in the immediate aftermath of their leaving office.

Law enforcement cooperation

Martin County sheriff William D. Snyder said the suspect was apprehended within minutes of the FBI, Secret Service, and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office putting out a “very urgent BOLO,” or “be on the lookout,” alert detailing the specific vehicle sought, license plate number, and description of the occupant.

Snyder said his deputies “immediately flooded” northbound I-95, deploying to every exit between the Palm Beach County line to the south and St. Lucie County line to the north.

“One of my road patrol units saw the vehicle, matched the tag, and we set up on the vehicle,” Snyder said. “We pinched in on the car, got it safely stopped, and got the driver in custody.”

Snyder added that the suspect “was not armed when we took him out of the car.” The man had a calm, flat demeanor and showed little emotion when he was stopped by police, Snyder said, adding that the suspect did not question why he was being pulled over.

“He never asked, ‘What is this about?’ Obviously, law enforcement with long rifles, blue lights, a lot going on. He never questioned it,” Snyder said.