A gunman hid in bushes for nearly 12 hours before Donald Trump played an unscheduled round of golf at his oceanfront club in West Palm Beach, Florida, in what authorities suspect to be the second attempt on the former president’s life in two months.
On a hot and cloudy Sunday, Trump, alongside real estate developer Steve Witkoff, arrived at Trump International Golf Club. While playing the fifth hole at around 13:31 EDT, a Secret Service agent noticed a rifle protruding from nearby bushes on the sixth hole. Trump was immediately evacuated without harm after hearing four or five gunshots, though the suspect, about 300-500 yards away, did not fire any shots.
The gunman, identified as Ryan Routh, 58, had been hiding since 01:59 that morning with an SKS-style semi-automatic rifle and other supplies. Investigators say he didn’t have a clear shot at Trump due to distance and foliage. Though Routh escaped the scene in a black Nissan, a civilian provided police with his license plate number, leading to his capture 40 minutes later on Interstate 95. He was charged with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, with more charges possible.
The motive behind the plot remains unclear. Routh, a Hawaii resident with a criminal history, had once voted for Trump but later expressed disappointment in him on social media. Federal authorities had previously been alerted to Routh’s possession of firearms as a felon in 2019.
The incident left West Palm Beach residents alarmed. Some questioned how Routh remained undetected for so long, while others speculated whether Trump’s visit was planned or a lucky guess by the suspect. On the day of the incident, security measures were heightened around the golf course, though locals noted the typical security presence wasn’t overly aggressive.
Trump recounted the event on Monday evening during a live-streamed event and praised the quick actions of the Secret Service. Although the former president wasn’t initially scheduled to be at the course, he frequently visits on Sundays when not campaigning. The Secret Service director admitted that agents had to prepare a last-minute security plan due to Trump’s unscheduled arrival.
This marked the second attempt on Trump’s life, following an incident in July when a 20-year-old gunman tried to shoot him at a Pennsylvania rally. Trump spoke on Monday about a phone call with President Joe Biden regarding increasing Secret Service resources. Biden requested additional funding for the agency, which has been under scrutiny for being understaffed since the first attempt on Trump’s life, leading to the resignation of Secret Service chief Kimberly Cheatle.
Despite the heightened risk, Trump assured his supporters that his resolve was “stronger” after the second assassination attempt. According to a former Secret Service agent, Trump enjoys higher security than many former presidents, including access to counter-sniper teams. Still, protecting a high-profile figure like Trump, who insists on engaging with supporters, remains a challenge.
Local Trump supporters expressed concern but confidence that the former president wouldn’t shy away from public appearances.