FBI suspects attempted assassination

Two months after the failed assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the former president has once again become the target of a “suspected assassination attempt.” The American federal police FBI announced this on Sunday afternoon (local time).

The incident occurred at around 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time, when Trump was playing golf with a real estate investor friend at his golf club, Trump International Golf Course West Palm Beach, in Florida. As the sheriff of Palm Beach County, Ric Bradshaw, later described at a press conference, a Secret Service officer always walked one hole ahead of the players. The officer spotted a rifle point sticking out of a fence into the golf club at the edge of the golf course and a man hiding in the bushes outside the fence.

The officer opened fire on the gunman, apparently firing four shots, after which he ran away. It is unclear whether the gunman also fired shots. An eyewitness saw a man believe this and get into a black Nissan. He photographed the vehicle and its license plate and shared the photo with the security forces. Police officers were therefore able to track down the man in his vehicle shortly afterwards and arrest him.

The suspect is a man born in 1966 and a native of the state of Hawaii. He is currently in police custody. CNN reported that the suspect is being questioned but has not yet made a statement.

Shooter was 90 to 150 meters away from Trump

FBI agents later found two backpacks, a video camera and a semi-automatic rifle with a scope mounted on it on the fence at the golf course. Photos of the items were shown at the press conference.

The sheriff said at the press conference that he was between “300 and 500 feet” (about 90 to 150 meters) away from Trump. “Equipped with a rifle and a scope, that's not far,” he said. The former president was immediately taken to safety and is fine, a spokesman for his campaign team later announced.

Trump was initially taken to an armored vehicle by Secret Service officers. He returned to his Mar-a-Lago estate, about ten minutes from the golf course, a few hours after the incident.

In the afternoon, he already made a public statement. “I will never give up!” Trump wrote in an email to a supporter. Shots had been fired near him, but he was “safe and well,” the Republican presidential candidate said.

After the first failed attack on Trump on July 13, the Secret Service had significantly increased the former president's protection. This may have played a role in the failure of the new attack attempt on Trump, experts said in television interviews on Sunday.

In response to critical questions about how such an incident could have happened, Sheriff Bradshaw said at the press conference that one should not forget that Trump is not the incumbent president. If that were the case, the entire outdoor area of ​​the golf club would have been monitored.

Biden and Harris “relieved”

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been informed of the “security incident,” according to the White House. Both were “relieved” to know that Trump was safe, the White House said. Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, wrote on X: “I'm glad he's safe.” Violence has no place in America.”

Republican US vice presidential candidate JD Vance also commented on the X platform. “I am happy that President Trump is safe.” He said he had spoken to Trump before news of the incident became known – “and he was surprisingly good.” “Not much is known yet, but he will say a prayer of gratitude,” Vance wrote.

Trump was injured in the ear during a campaign appearance in Pennsylvania on July 13. A 20-year-old assassin fired several shots at Trump before he himself was shot dead by security forces. One bystander was killed and two others were injured. The Secret Service, which is responsible for the security of current and former presidents, was subsequently accused of failure. Director Kimberly Cheatle subsequently resigned.

Elon Musk, the tech entrepreneur and Trump supporter, responded with a tasteless tweet on his platform X. “And no one tried to assassinate Biden or Kamala,” Musk wrote.

With agency material.