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Jimmy Williams
Former President Donald Trump escaped what the FBI is calling an apparent “attempted assassination” on Sunday afternoon while playing golf at his West Palm Beach course, close to his Mar-a-Lago residence. This marks the second attempt on Trump’s life in recent months, following a previous attack during a Pennsylvania campaign rally in July.
The attack unfolded around 2 p.m. when a Secret Service agent spotted a man with a rifle hidden in bushes near the course. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, speaking at a news conference, said the assailant fled in a black Nissan after shots were fired. It is unclear if the suspect fired at the agents.
Thanks to a witness who captured an image of the suspect’s car, law enforcement quickly apprehended 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh. An AR-style rifle, two backpacks, and a GoPro camera were recovered at the scene, according to authorities.
“Trump is safe,” said campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung, confirming that the Republican presidential nominee left the golf course shortly after the incident. Trump was reportedly playing with friend and donor Steve Witkoff when the shots rang out between the fifth and sixth holes.
While Trump later returned to Mar-a-Lago unharmed, the attempted assassination has shaken his security team. Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe is traveling to Florida to oversee the investigation. Rowe took over after the resignation of Kimberly Cheatle, who stepped down following the July assassination attempt in Pennsylvania.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who previously ran against Trump in the Republican primary, promised a thorough state investigation, calling it “essential to understanding how a man with a rifle got within 500 yards of the GOP nominee.”
Sunday’s attack mirrors a July 13 incident in Pennsylvania when Trump narrowly avoided gunfire at a campaign rally. The gunman was killed by Secret Service agents, but the shooting left one supporter dead and two others critically wounded. That attack led to increased security measures at Trump’s rallies, including the use of bulletproof glass.
Despite the repeated threats on his life, Trump’s campaign has said the latest incident will not affect his schedule. The former president is set to continue his campaign this week, with a town hall in Michigan on Tuesday, followed by stops in New York, Washington, D.C., and North Carolina.
The escalating threats against Trump come amid heightened political tension just weeks before Election Day, with Trump facing off against Vice President Kamala Harris in a closely contested race. Both Democrats and Republicans condemned Sunday’s attack, urging unity against political violence.
President Joe Biden released a statement expressing his relief that Trump was unharmed, saying, “As I have said many times, there is no place for political violence or for any violence ever in our country.”
Vice President Harris also responded, stating, “I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America.”
Meanwhile, Trump’s running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, expressed gratitude on social media: “Still much we don’t know, but I’ll be hugging my kids extra tight tonight and saying a prayer of gratitude.”
As investigations continue, Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg confirmed that federal authorities will lead the case, with charges expected to be filed by the Justice Department. Authorities remain on high alert, and both Trump’s security detail and political observers are concerned about the growing threats of political violence in an increasingly polarized country.
