Gunshots were reported in Donald Trump’s vicinity Sunday afternoon. The former president is safe.
U.S. Secret Service agents opened fire after seeing a person with a firearm near Trump’s West Palm Beach golf club in Florida while the Republican presidential nominee was golfing. No injuries were reported. Officials say the person fled in an SUV and was later apprehended by local law enforcement.
The U.S. Secret Service said it was investigating and that the incident occurred shortly before 2 p.m.
The FBI said in a statement that the shooting “appears to be” a second attempted assassination of the president, two months after he survived an attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The agency is leading the investigation into the incident.
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Biden: ‘I am Relieved That the Former President is Unharmed’
President Joe Biden issued a statement on Sunday evening, condemning the possible second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump while he was golfing at his club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Biden confirmed that he had been briefed about the incident and he commended the work of the Secret Service and law enforcement officers.
“I am relieved that the former President is unharmed. There is an active investigation into this incident as law enforcement gathers more details about what happened,” Biden said.
“As I have said many times, there is no place for political violence or for any violence ever in our country, and I have directed my team to continue to ensure that Secret Service has every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure the former President’s continued safety.”
DeSantis Announces State Investigation Into Assassination Attempt
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Sunday evening that the state of Florida would be conducting an investigation into the failed attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life.
“The State of Florida will be conducting its own investigation regarding the attempted assassination at Trump International Golf Club,” DeSantis said in a post on X.
“The people deserve the truth about the would be assassin and how he was able to get within 500 yards of the former president and current GOP nominee.”
Trump survived another assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, just over two months ago. The ongoing investigation has not yet identified a motive for the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks.
The FBI is leading the investigation into the Florida incident, with assistance from the Secret Service, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s office, and the Martin County Sheriff’s office.
Speaker Johnson: No American Leader ‘Has Endured More Attacks’ Than Trump
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he and his wife met with former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago after the attempted assassination, adding that no American leader “has endured more attacks” than Trump.
“Kelly and I are departing Mar-a-Lago, where we just spent a few hours with President Trump and are thanking God for protecting him today—once again,” Johnson said in a post on X, attaching a photo of himself, his wife Kelly, and Trump.
It’s unclear whether the visit had been planned in advance or if Johnson came in response to the incident.
“No leader [in] American history has endured more attacks and remained so strong and resilient,” Johnson said. “He is unstoppable.”
Trump Campaign Credits Secret Service
Trump campaign leaders are crediting the Secret Service with keeping the former president safe following an apparent assassination attempt in Florida.
In an email sent to staff Sunday evening, senior campaign advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles wrote, “Today, for the second time in two months, an evil monster attempted to take the life of President Trump.”
“Thankfully, no one was injured at the Golf Course. President Trump and everyone accompanying him are safe thanks to the great work of the United States Secret Service,” they wrote.
They added that campaign staffers’ safety is “always our top priority” and asked those receiving the email to “remain vigilant” and “observant and maintain a constant level of situational awareness.”
Congressional Task Force Requests Secret Service Briefing
The leaders of a bipartisan task force in Congress that has been investigating the assassination attempt on Trump at a Pennsylvania rally in July said it is monitoring the Florida situation and has requested a briefing by the Secret Service.
“We are thankful that the former President was not harmed, but remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in all of its forms,” said Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) and Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo). “The Task Force will share updates as we learn more.”
Hannity Gives Account of Incident After Talking With Trump
Fox News host Sean Hannity, a close Trump friend, said on air that he spoke with both Trump and the former president’s golf partner, Steve Witkoff, after the incident.
They told Hannity that they had been on the fifth hole and were about to go to up to putt when they heard a “pop pop, pop pop.” Within seconds, he said Witkoff recounted, Secret Service agents “pounced on” Trump and “covered him” to protect him.
In the aftermath, Trump checked in with allies, including his vice presidential nominee, JD Vance, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and several Fox News hosts.
Trump: ‘My Resolve Is Only Stronger’
Former President Donald Trump said in a fundraising email Sunday that his “resolve is only stronger” in the wake of a second attempted assassination, this time in Palm Beach, Florida.
“My resolve is only stronger after another attempt on my life,” he wrote.
Trump’s campaign website redirects users to WinRed, the GOP fundraising arm, and a message reading, “I am safe and well, and no one was hurt. Thank God! But, there are people in this world who will do whatever it takes to stop us.”
The second attempt on the former president’s life occurred two months after an event in Butler, Pennsylvania, in which shots were fired at Trump.
The identity and motive of the Florida suspect are unknown, but officials have confirmed that the would-be assassin is in the custody of Florida’s Martin County Police Department with state-level charges pending. Officials say the suspect could also face federal charges.
Impact on Trump Campaign Schedule Unknown
It was not immediately clear whether the incident would affect Trump’s campaign schedule.
On Monday night, he was set to speak from Florida about cryptocurrency live on the social media site X for the launch of his sons’ crypto platform. Trump planned a town hall Tuesday in Flint, Michigan, with his former press secretary, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, followed by a rally Wednesday on New York’s Long Island.
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.
Walz, Schumer Condemn Shooting
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, said he and his wife, Gwen, are “glad” to hear Trump is safe. “Violence has no place in our country,” he said in a post on X. “It’s not who we are as a nation.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he has been briefed by the acting director of the Secret Service and applauded the agency “for their quick response to ensure former President Trump’s safety.” Schumer went on to condemn “political violence of any kind” and said the “perpetrator must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“It’s abundantly clear there are violent people who are willing to do anything to keep President Trump from the White House,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said in a statement posted to X.
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), chair of the House Republican Conference, questioned “how an assassin was allowed to get this close to President Trump again” in light of the attempt on his life at a Pennsylvania rally in July.
“There continues to be a lack of answers for the horrific assassination attempt in Pennsylvania and we expect there to be a clear explanation of what happened today in Florida,” Stefanik added.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday he had spent the past few hours with Trump and the former president is “unstoppable.” The Republican speaker said he and his wife, Kelly, had been with Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
Officials Work on State-Level Charges, Federal Charges Possible
Dave Aronberg, state attorney for Florida’s Palm Beach County, says that his prosecutors are working on charging the would-be assassin of former President Donald Trump with state-level crimes, but said that federal charges are also possible.
Currently, Aronberg said, prosecutors in his office are working on crafting an application for warrants and pretrial detention of the suspect, who hasn’t yet been officially identified by authorities.
“Our filing of the warrant and charges at the state level does not preclude the federal charges that could be coming,” Aronberg said. “But in the meantime, it looks like the warrants and a pretrial detention motion will happen first.”
Local officials have confirmed that the suspect, who fled after facing fire from a Secret Service agent, was pulled over on I-95 and taken into custody by Martin County Police Department.
According to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, a Secret Service agent screening the course noticed a rifle sticking out of a fence surrounding the area and immediately opened fire, shooting between four and six rounds. Authorities said it was unclear if the gunman took any shots.
The suspect fled, but a witness took a picture of the assailant’s vehicle and license plate that was handed over to law enforcement, ultimately enabling police to apprehend him on the interstate.
Trump has confirmed that he is unharmed.
First Crime Scene Photos Released by Officials
The first official photos from the scene of a suspected second attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life have been released by officials.
The photos show two nondescript bags and a GoPro camera hanging on a fence, indicating that the suspect intended to film the attack, according to Sheriff Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw. It also shows an AK-47-style rifle leaning on the fence.
Around 1:30 p.m. ET, a Secret Service agent patrolling the Trump International Golf Course at West Palm Beach, where Trump was golfing, noticed a rifle pointed through the perimeter fence. The agent immediately opened fire, causing the suspect to flee.
The suspect, whose identity and motive have not yet been released, was apprehended on I-95 after a witness captured photos of his vehicle and license plate and passed them to law enforcement.
The suspect is currently in custody of Florida’s Martin County Police Department, and officials are working on warrant and pretrial detention applications. Currently, the suspect is only facing state-level charges, but officials say federal charges could also be levied.
Sheriff Discusses Security Precautions and Praises Secret Service Actions
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the entire golf course would have been lined with law enforcement if Trump was the sitting president. But because he’s not, “security is limited to the areas that the areas that the Secret Service deems possible.”
“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,” Bradshaw said.
Former presidents and their spouses have Secret Service protection for life, but the security posture around former presidents varies depending on threat levels and exposure, with the toughest typically being in the immediate aftermath of their leaving office.
Trump’s protective detail has been higher than some of his peers because of his high visibility and his campaign to seek the White House again.
Vance Says Trump ‘in Good Spirits’
Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), posted on X that he spoke to the former president before the news became public and said “he was, amazingly, in good spirits.”
Vance said there was still a lot “we don’t know” about the incident.
Lawmakers React to 2nd Assassination Attempt
Lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle condemned the news of a suspected second attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life on Sunday, calling for peace and expressing opposition to political violence.
In a campaign email after the incident, many details of which remain unknown, Trump confirmed he was safe.
“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. I will never surrender! I will always love you for supporting me. Unity. Peace. Make America Great Again. May God bless you, Donald Trump,” the email read, some in all caps.
Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump’s leading rival for the presidency, said in a post on X, “I have been briefed on reports of gunshots fired near former President Trump and his property in Florida, and I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America.”
President Joe Biden has not yet released a statement on the incident.
In the wake of a previous assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, Biden delivered a national address. The White House hasn’t indicated if Biden will give another such address Sunday night.
In a brief statement on X, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said, “Political violence has no place in a democratic society.”
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), the second highest-ranking Republican in the House, wrote, “Thank God President Trump is safe. I can’t believe I’m having to say this once again this election cycle: there is absolutely no place for violence in politics. Grateful for all law enforcement involved who stopped what could’ve been a catastrophe.”
Some Republicans quickly blamed Democrats’ rhetoric, including claims that the former president is “a threat to democracy,” for both this incident and the earlier attempt in Butler.
“Is two assassination attempts on Donald Trump’s life considered a ‘threat to democracy’ yet?” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), a leading Trump ally in the House, wrote on X.
Secret Service Agent Spotted Rifle Sticking Out of Fence: Sheriff
A Secret Service agent walking on the golf course a hole ahead of where Trump was playing spotted the rifle sticking out of the fence and immediately opened fire, Palm Beach County Bradshaw said.
The agent fired four to six rounds, a Secret Service official said. The suspect then fled.
A witness who took a picture of the suspect’s vehicle and license plate number provided it to law enforcement officers.
Sheriff Says Gunman Was Around 400–500 Yards From Trump
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the gunman was about 400 to 500 yards away from Trump and hidden in shrubbery while the former president played golf on a nearby hole.
The man had an AK-style rifle with a scope, two backpacks hanging on a fence and a GoPro camera, the sheriff said. Bradshaw said the backpacks had ceramic tile in them and that the suspect’s belongings are being processed.
FBI Says Trump Was Target of Apparent 2nd Assassination Attempt
The FBI said on Sunday that former President Donald Trump was targeted in a suspected second assassination attempt in as many months after his campaign confirmed that shots were reported in his vicinity.
“The FBI has responded to West Palm Beach Florida and is investigating what appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump,” the FBI told The Epoch Times in a statement.
A representative of U.S. Secret Service told a news conference Sunday that a Secret Service personnel opened fire on a suspected gunman “located near the property line,” adding it’s under investigation, while the Palm Beach sheriff said that officials recovered an AK-47-style rifle with a scope, two backpacks that had “ceramic tile” inside, and a GoPro camera.
A Secret Service agent that is stationed near of Trump while he was golfing “was able to spot this rifle barrel” and “immediately [engaged] that individual, at which time the individual took off,” Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw told the news conference.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office in Florida said it has taken a suspect into custody that is believed to be connected to reports of shots fired in the vicinity of Trump. The identity of the individual has not been disclosed.
The sheriff’s office and Martin County Sheriff William Snyder confirmed that a section of Interstate 95 was shut down, confirming to reporters that a suspect in connection to the Trump International Golf Course incident was detained. The individual, who was not identified, “was relatively calm” during the arrest, he said.
He added that law enforcement also discovered an AK-47 rifle, describing it as a “very serious incident.”
Federal law enforcement officials are on the scene, Snyder said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham says Trump in ‘good spirits’
In an X post, South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of Trump’s top congressional allies, said he had spoken with Trump after the incident and that Trump was in “good spirits” and was “one of the strongest people I’ve ever known.”
Trump often spends the morning playing golf, before having lunch at the Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach, one of three he owns in the state.
Campaign Says Trump Is Safe
Trump was safe after gunshots were reported in his vicinity Sunday afternoon in Florida, his campaign and the Secret Service said.
The U.S. Secret Service said it was investigating and that the incident occurred shortly before 2 p.m. “The former president is safe,” according to the Secret Service.
Roughly two months ago, Trump was shot during an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania, and a bullet grazed his ear.
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.
The campaign did not immediately provide any additional details.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.