Trump ‘Safe’ After Shots Fired at Golf Course in Apparent Assassination Attempt: What to Know

Just two months after an attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in July during a rally in Pennsylvania, another apparent attempt on the Republican presidential nominee’s life was foiled by authorities on Sunday at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.

[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]

Trump was unharmed, and a suspect who fled the scene was arrested. Politicians across the spectrum have condemned the attack, and law enforcement officials are investigating.

Here’s what to know:

Hiding in the bushes: what happened

While Trump was golfing on Sunday around 1.30 p.m., a Secret Service agent, positioned one hole ahead of the former President, noticed a rifle muzzle an estimated 300-500 yards away, peeking out of bushes lining the golf course, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said in a press briefing later on Sunday. (For reference, the shooter in July was appx. 400 feet—about a third of the distance—away from Trump.)

As Secret Service personnel opened fire at the gunman hiding in the bushes, Bradshaw recounted, the gunman dropped his weapon and other items—an “AK-47-style rifle with a scope, two backpacks which were hung on the fence that had ceramic tile in them, and a GoPro [camera]”—and fled in a vehicle.

It’s unclear if the suspect had managed to take any shots at Secret Service agents during the engagement, a Secret Service representative said during the press briefing on Sunday. 

A witness reported seeing the suspect flee from the bushes and photographed the vehicle he jumped into. Authorities were able to pull that vehicle over on a highway, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post around 3.30 p.m. “We did not give him an opportunity to put up a fight, we had him contained, forced off the road, taken out at gunpoint,” Martin County Sheriff William Snyder told the media of the arrest during the later press briefing, adding that the suspect was unarmed, “relatively calm,” and “not displaying a lot of emotions” when he was stopped. 

The witness was brought in to confirm the suspect was the same person seen fleeing earlier. Authorities have not named the suspect, though anonymous sources in law enforcement have identified the man arrested to multiple media outlets as Ryan Routh.

‘I will NEVER SURRENDER!’: Trump’s response

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. I will NEVER SURRENDER!”

After the incident, Trump returned to Mar-a-Lago, his Palm Beach resort about 4.5 miles away from the golf course, the Associated Press reported.

Despite another apparent attempt on his life, Trump was in “good spirits” on Sunday evening, Trump’s running mate Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance and supporter Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) both posted on social media, saying that they’d each spoken with the former President. 

CBS reported, citing Trump’s friends, family, and advisors, that he was joking that he wished he could have finished his round of golf. 

Fox News host Sean Hannity said he spoke with Trump’s golf partner on Sunday, real estate investor Steve Witkoff, who recalled that Trump went “out of his way” to express gratitude to the Secret Service agents at the scene. 

Meanwhile, a Trump campaign internal email to staffers warned them to “remain vigilant,” the AP reported. “This is not a matter that we take lightly. Your safety is always our top priority,” said the email. “As we enter the last 50 days of President Trump’s campaign, we must remember that we will only be able [to] save America from those who seek to destroy it by working together as one team.”

In a Truth Social post later Sunday night, Trump said: “I would like to thank everyone for your concern and well wishes – It was certainly an interesting day! Most importantly, I want to thank the U.S. Secret Service, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and his Office of brave and dedicated Patriots, and, all of Law Enforcement, for the incredible job done today at Trump International in keeping me, as the 45th President of the United States, and the Republican Nominee in the upcoming Presidential Election, SAFE. THE JOB DONE WAS ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING. I AM VERY PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!”

‘People deserve the truth’: ongoing investigations

Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi posted on X on Sunday afternoon that the agency was “investigating a protective incident involving former President Donald Trump.” 

CNN reported, citing an unnamed source, that the FBI has launched a “global investigation” after the arrested suspect’s online activity involved platforms headquartered outside the U.S., though no co-conspirators have been identified. 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis posted on X that the state would conduct a separate investigation into the incident. “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,” said DeSantis, Trump’s former primary rival who has since endorsed him.

Reps. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) and Jason Crow (D-Colo.) of the congressional task force on the earlier assassination attempt on Trump posted a joint statement saying that they have “requested a briefing with the U.S. Secret Service about what happened and how security responded.” They said they are grateful Trump was unharmed “but remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in all of its forms” and “will share updates as we learn more.”

‘No place for political violence’: Democrats react

President Joe Biden, in a White House statement, commended Secret Service and law enforcement, said he was relieved that Trump is safe, and reiterated that “there is no place for political violence or for any violence ever in our country.” He added: “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.”

Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Minn. Gov. Tim Walz each posted on X that they were “glad” Trump is safe and that “violence has no place” in the U.S. “It’s not who we are as a nation,” Walz said.