Sunday was meant to be a rare, restful day for Donald Trump—a brief break from the relentless grind of a presidential campaign. The plan was straightforward: enjoy some downtime, post a few messages on social media, and hit the golf course at his West Palm Beach club.
But that ordinary Sunday took a dramatic turn when the Secret Service discovered a rifle barrel protruding from a fence covered in bushes at Trump's golf club. Within moments, the routine day transformed into a high-stakes security crisis. For the second time in just over two months, someone made a serious attempt on Trump's life, getting dangerously close to the former president—within 500 yards, to be exact. This time, the threat was neutralized before any shots were fired, thanks to the swift actions of the Secret Service.
This incident has ignited urgent questions about the safety protocols surrounding Trump—both as he campaigns across the country and when he’s at his private properties. The security measures have been considerably heightened since July's assassination attempt, which exposed several vulnerabilities in the Secret Service’s protection of Trump. In New York, where Trump has been staying at Trump Tower, dump trucks have been used to create a barricade outside his building. At public events, Trump now speaks from behind bulletproof glass.
However, Trump’s situation is unique. Unlike other VIPs who live in private, heavily secured residences, Trump often spends his downtime at his golf clubs, which are accessible to paying members. This approach to security is particularly challenging given the current political climate, which is fraught with tension and animosity.
“The threat level is high,” Rafael Barros, the Secret Service’s Miami field office special agent in charge, emphasized on Sunday. “We live in dangerous times.”
The day had started typically enough, with Trump using social media to target pop star Taylor Swift for endorsing Kamala Harris—Trump's tweet read, “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT”—while also grumbling about the postal service. His running mate, JD Vance, was also stirring controversy on TV, refusing to disavow a debunked conspiracy theory about immigrants and pets, much to the Democrats' dismay.
But around 2 p.m., the situation took a grave turn. Trump and his golf buddy, Steve Witkoff, were on the fifth hole of the course when they heard a series of “pop, pop, pop” sounds. Fox News host Sean Hannity, a close friend of Trump, later recounted the scene, revealing that a "fast cart” whisked Trump away with protective steel reinforcements.
The Secret Service’s swift response was critical. They immediately identified the threat, but their initial attempt to neutralize it fell short as the suspect managed to escape. Agents quickly shielded Trump and escorted him to the golf course’s clubhouse. He stayed there briefly before returning to Mar-a-Lago, which is just about 15 minutes away.
Within an hour, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi announced that the agency, along with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, was investigating a “protective incident involving former President Donald Trump,” reassuring the public that Trump was safe. However, the specifics remained unclear. Was it an isolated incident, or was Trump specifically targeted?
Witness Max Egusquiza, who saw the emergency response, described a flurry of activity with “about 20 or more cop cars” converging on the scene. The Trump campaign quickly issued a statement confirming that “President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity,” though they did not confirm whether he was the intended target.
It soon became clear that the Secret Service had fired shots. Donald J. Trump Jr. later revealed on X that local law enforcement had discovered an AK-style rifle in the bushes. This revelation was followed by an FBI statement confirming it was investigating “what appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump.”
Despite the suspect’s swift escape, law enforcement quickly identified his vehicle. Martin County Sheriff William D. Snyder reported that his deputies “immediately flooded” northbound I-95, setting up checkpoints from the Palm Beach County line to the St. Lucie County line. The suspect was apprehended within minutes, thanks to a “very urgent BOLO” (be-on-the-lookout alert) issued by the FBI, Secret Service, and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Snyder detailed how one of his road patrol units spotted the suspect's vehicle, matched the license plate, and initiated a stop. “We pinched in on the car, got it safely stopped, and got the driver in custody,” Snyder said. The suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, from Kaaawa, Hawaii, showed no signs of questioning the heavy police presence.
Law enforcement found an AK-style rifle with a scope, two backpacks containing ceramic tiles, and a GoPro camera left behind by Routh. According to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, the suspect was hidden in the bushes approximately 400 to 500 yards away from Trump as the former president played golf on a nearby hole.
In a post on Truth Social that evening, Trump expressed his relief and gratitude. “It was certainly an interesting day!” he wrote. He thanked law enforcement profusely for keeping him “SAFE.”
This dramatic turn of events underscores the ongoing and evolving challenges of ensuring the safety of public figures, particularly in these turbulent times.
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