WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump urgently needs enhanced Secret Service protection after a suspect was arrested Sunday in another apparent assassination attempt on the Republican nominee, Trump’s political supporters demanded Sunday.
The would-be assassin, identified as 58-year-old Ryan Routh of Hawaii, was detained after a Secret Service agent spotted the barrel of his AK-47 style rifle through a chain link fence on the outskirts of Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach.
The ex-president, 78, was on the course at the time. Authorities have yet to determine if the shooter squeezed off any shots at Trump.
“It is inexplicable that this happened again. President Trump needs the same, if not more, Secret Service protection than a sitting President,” Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) tweeted shortly after the attack.
“There have been TWO attempts on Trump’s life. Secret Service must up their level of protection of him to their FULL capabilities — including expanding the perimeter,” wrote House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.).
Vivek Ramaswamy, the former Republican presidential candidate and a possible Trump Cabinet appointee, tweeted: “I’m calling on Secret Service to IMMEDIATELY step up its protection for President Trump to the *same* level they provide to Biden, there’s no excuse not to at this point.”
Follow the latest on the foiled assassination attempt on Donald Trump in Florida:
- Trump ‘safe and well’ after being targeted by would-be assassin with AK-47, assault rifle for second time in 2 months
- Shots fired near Trump live updates: Would-be shooter was 300-500 yards away from Trump, came with scope and GoPro — ‘Intent on filming’
- Trump assures he’s ‘SAFE AND WELL’ after Secret Service fires at man armed with assault rifle at president’s golf resort
- Trump’s security at golf course was lighter because he’s not sitting prez: official
- Demands mount for Trump to get same protection as Biden — after yet another assassination plot
- Would-be Trump assassin ID’d as Ryan Routh, 58, of Hawaii: sources
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw indicated that Trump’s security was lighter because he’s not the sitting commander-in-chief.
“At this level that he is at right now, he’s not the sitting president. If he was, we would have had this entire golf course around it. But because he’s not, security is limited to the areas that the Secret Service deems possible,” Bradshaw said at a press conference.
“I would imagine that the next time he comes to a golf course, there’ll probably be a little bit more people around the perimeter. But the Secret Service did exactly what they should have done.”
A gun scope and a GoPro camera were recovered in the bushes, indicating the shooter may have intended to shoot Trump from a distance and film his actions.
Here’s what we know about the assassination attempt on Trump in Florida:
- Former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt at Trump International Golf Club, West Palm Beach on Sept. 15, 2024.
- Trump sent out a statement to supporters soon after to report that he is “SAFE AND WELL.”
- The suspect — identified as Ryan Routh, 58, of Hawaii — was able to get between 300 to 500 yards of Trump at a chain link fence on the edge of the course where he had an AK-47 and a GoPro camera set up to apparently film the planned shooting.
- Routh has a history of supporting progressive causes online and has made 19 donations to Democratic candidates since 2019.
- A Secret Service agent spotted and opened fire on Routh as he put his gun through the fence. The suspect fled the scene and was arrested on I-95 a short time later.
- According to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, Trump’s security detail was lighter because he isn’t a sitting president — despite the previous attempt on his life in July.
Trump previously was shot by would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, on July 13 at a rally in Butler, Pa., when Crooks climbed on an unguarded roof just over 100 yards from Trump’s lectern.
The ex-president’s ear was grazed with a bullet and a fellow rally-goer was killed in that attack.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas claimed July 15 that his agency, which includes the Secret Service, was in the process of enhancing protection for Trump.
“Both prior to and after the events of this past weekend, the Secret Service enhanced former President Trump’s protection based on the evolving nature of threats to the former president and his imminent shift from presumptive nominee to nominee. This includes enhancements related to securing the former president during the Republican National Convention this week,” Mayorkas said at a White House briefing.
“I cannot discuss specifics of the protection or the enhancements made, as they involve sensitive tactics and procedures,” the DHS chief said at the time. “I can say, however, that personnel and other protective resources, technology, and capabilities have been added.”
