On Sunday, Sept. 15, former President Donald Trump came close to an assassination attempt while golfing near West Palm Beach, Florida. This is the second instance of an attack on his life in two months. On July 13, Thomas Matthew Crooks shot at a Pennsylvania Trump Rally, injuring the President in his right ear. Soon after the Pennsylvania event, President Biden dropped out of the presidential race.
Ryan Wesley Routh has been identified as the suspect in the Sept. 15 attempt. Routh reportedly camped outside the golf course for nearly 12 hours with a rifle before the attack. Routh was also a public supporter of Ukraine, frequently posting about the conflict on social media.
“I AM WILLING TO FLY TO KRAKOW AND GO TO THE BORDER OF UKRAINE TO VOLUNTEER AND FIGHT AND DIE,” Routh wrote on X in 2022.
While on the golf course, an agent saw Routh armed with a rifle and the agent immediately discharged his firearm. Routh then sped away in his vehicle and was captured and arrested. Trump is safe and unharmed from the incident.
“I would like to thank everyone for your concern and well wishes – It was certainly an interesting day!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “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.”
Similar to the reaction to the Pennsylvania event, Democratic politicians have stepped forward, showing their well-wishes for the Republican nominee in a move of bipartisanship.
“I have been briefed on reports of gunshots fired near former President Trump and his property in Florida, and I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America,” Vice President Kamala Harris wrote on X.
The U.S. Secret Service (USSS) officially released its investigation into the attempted assassination. Ongoing research will continue, and the report will be finalized in the coming weeks. Following Routh’s arrest, the USSS has admitted its failure in protecting Trump.
“It is important that we hold ourselves to account for the failures of July 13 and that we take the lessons learned to make sure that we do not have another mission failure like this again,” Acting Director Ronald L. Rowe said.
On Sept. 20, the House of Representatives unanimously approved a bill that would give Trump the same security protection as the current president. It’s rare that something is passed unanimously in the house – this vote illustrates the support for increased security for Trump from both political parties.
The race will become more heated, polling will fluctuate, and more advancements will develop. Those on Capitol Hill are urging for increased security support for Trump and stronger preventative matters must be put in place for both candidates. No matter one’s opinion on the nominees, proper security must be allocated to ensure a safe campaign season.
