Former President Donald Trump wrote to express his thanks to law enforcement and the Secret Service for their response to what the FBI said was an attempted assassination at his Florida golf course a day earlier.
In the incident, a Secret Service agent engaged with the suspect after discovering a rifle muzzle sticking through a fence at the Trump International Golf Course while the former president was golfing, the Palm Beach County sheriff told a news conference Sunday.
The suspect, who was later detained in Florida’s Marion County, was around 400 to 500 yards from Trump when the agent discovered him. An AK-style rifle, a GoPro, and two backpacks with ceramic tile were found, according to photos released by law enforcement.
“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,” he wrote in the post, some in all capital letters.
It’s the second time in as many months that Trump has faced an assassination attempt. In July, the former president narrowly escaped death after a man opened fire at a Pennsylvania rally, killing one attendee and injuring two others while striking Trump in the right ear.
In the aftermath of that incident, questions were raised about the Secret Service and local law enforcement, and whether enough was done to secure the rally. Similar questions have been raised by several lawmakers after Sunday’s incident.
Trump has, on multiple occasions, praised the Secret Service and its agents for responding to the Pennsylvania assassination attempt, noting that agents rushed to protect him as the shots were fired.
The suspect has been named as Ryan Wesley Routh, 58.
When detained, Routh had a calm, flat demeanor and showed little emotion when he was stopped, according to Martin County Sheriff William Snyder, who said his office detained him. “He never asked, ‘What is this about?’ Obviously, law enforcement with long rifles, blue lights, a lot going on. He never questioned it,” Snyder told reporters Sunday.
Hours before, Trump’s campaign and Trump himself said in emails that the former president was safe and unharmed in the apparent assassination attempt.
“Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER! I will always love you for supporting me,” the former president wrote in an emailed statement.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party’s nominee for president, have condemned the latest assassination attempt.
“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,” Biden said in a statement.
Harris wrote that she is “thankful” that Trump was unharmed and is “deeply disturbed by the possible assassination attempt.”
It was not immediately clear how the development would affect Trump’s schedule or campaign dynamics. Trump was set to speak from Florida about cryptocurrency live on Monday night on the social media site X and had stops planned Tuesday and Wednesday in Michigan and on New York’s Long Island.
In the aftermath, Trump spoke with his running mate Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), and several Fox News hosts, they said. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he spent several hours with Trump and called him “unstoppable,” according to a post he made on social media.
Fox News host Sean Hannity recounted on air his conversation with the former president’s golf partner, Steve Witkoff.
They had been on the fifth hole and about to go 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.
