WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (AP) — U.S. Secret Service agents opened fire after seeing a person with a firearm near Trump’s West Palm Beach golf club in Florida while the Republican presidential candidate was golfing. No injuries were reported. Officials say the person fled in an SUV and was later apprehended by local law enforcement.
He was identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, three law enforcement officials told The Associated Press. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.
The U.S. Secret Service said it was investigating and that the incident occurred shortly before 2 p.m.
Roughly two months ago, Trump was shot during an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania, and a bullet grazed his ear.
Trump campaign leaders are crediting the Secret Service with keeping the former president safe following an apparent assassination attempt in Florida.
In an email sent to staff Sunday evening, senior campaign advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles wrote, “Today, for the second time in two months, an evil monster attempted to take the life of President Trump.”
“Thankfully, no one was injured at the Golf Course. President Trump and everyone accompanying him are safe thanks to the great work of the United States Secret Service,” they wrote.
They added that campaign staffers’ safety is “always our top priority” and asked those receiving the email to “remain vigilant” and “observant and maintain a constant level of situational awareness.”
The leaders of a bipartisan task force in Congress that has been investigating the assassination attempt on Trump at a Pennsylvania rally in July said it is monitoring the Florida situation and has requested a briefing by the Secret Service.
“We are thankful that the former President was not harmed, but remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in all of its forms,” said Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa. and Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo. “The Task Force will share updates as we learn more.”
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, said he and his wife, Gwen, are “glad” to hear Trump is safe. “Violence has no place in our country,” he said in a post on X. “It’s not who we are as a nation.”
The White House added they are “relieved” to know Trump is safe.
“I’m thankful Pres. Trump is safe,” Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission President Brent Leatherwood posted on X.
“Our culture is not well right now. Hate drives us. Expressions of political violence are met w/ ambivalence. Disturbed individuals then see acts of violence as legitimate. Lives are lost. The path we’re on leads to ruin. We must turn from it,” Leatherwood says.
Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, chair of the House Republican Conference, questioned “how an assassin was allowed to get this close to President Trump again” in light of the attempt on his life at a Pennsylvania rally in July.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday he had spent the past few hours with Trump and the former president is “unstoppable.” The Republican speaker said he and his wife, Kelly, had been with Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
