Five things you should know about the apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump

Local authorities said U.S. Secret Service agents protecting Mr. Trump shot a man who aimed a scoped AK rifle at him as the former president played at one of his golf courses in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Here are five things you should know about what happened to the Republican presidential candidate on Sunday.

– Who is the suspect?

According to police, the man who pointed the gun at him and was arrested was Ryan Wesley Routh.

Records show that Routh, 58, lived in North Carolina for most of his life before moving to Kaaawa, Hawaii, in 2018, where he and his son ran a shed-building company, according to an archived version of the company’s website.

Routh frequently posted on social media about the war in Ukraine and had a website where he tried to raise money and recruit volunteers to go to Kyiv to join the fight against the Russian invasion. In June 2020, he made a post on X aimed at then-President Trump, saying he would win re-election if he issued an executive order requiring the Justice Department to prosecute police misconduct. That same year, he also posted in support of the Democratic presidential campaign of then-U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, who has since left the party and supports Trump.

However, his posts over the past few years suggest he was antipathetic toward Mr Trump, and he expressed support for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

In July, after the assassination attempt on Mr Trump in Pennsylvania, Routh called on Mr Biden and Ms Harris to visit those injured in the shooting in hospital and attend the funeral of a former fire chief who was killed at the rally.

Voter records show he registered as an unaffiliated voter in North Carolina in 2012 and last voted in person in the Democratic Party primary in March 2024. Federal campaign finance records show that since 2019, Routh has made 19 small political donations totaling $140 (£106) to ActBlue, a political action committee that supports Democratic candidates, using his Hawaii address.

Records show that Routh had several run-ins with police while living in Greensboro, North Carolina. According to online records from the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, he was convicted of possession of a weapon of mass destruction in 2002.

The case files do not contain any details. But a 2002 News & Record article says a man with the same name was arrested after a three-hour standoff with police. The article says he was stopped during a traffic stop, put his hand on a gun and barricaded himself inside a roofing business. According to state business registration records, he owned the roofing company.

– How did that happen?

According to local authorities, the shooter was about 350 to 450 yards away from Trump, hiding in the bushes while the former president played a round of golf at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said if people move into the bushes surrounding the course, “they’re pretty much out of sight.” Mr. Bradshaw said the entire golf course would be lined with police officers if Trump were the sitting president, but because he is not, “security is limited to the areas the Secret Service deems possible.”

Because of his high profile and his campaign to get back into the White House, Trump’s security is tighter than that of some of his colleagues. His security was beefed up days before the Pennsylvania assassination attempt in July because there was a death threat against Trump from Iran, U.S. officials said.

– What has Donald Trump said since the attempt?

In an email to his supporters, Trump wrote: “There have been gunshots near me, but before the rumor mill gets out of control, I want you to hear this: I AM SAFE AND I AM FINE!”

His running mate, JD Vance, and US Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said they had spoken to Mr Trump after the incident and both said he was in “good spirits”. Mr Trump also spoke to several Fox News hosts.

Late Sunday, Trump posted a message on social media thanking the Secret Service and law enforcement for keeping him safe, calling them “brave and dedicated patriots” and adding that it had “certainly been an interesting day.”

He was scheduled to be personally briefed on the assassination investigation by acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe on Monday, according to a person familiar with the briefing plan.

Sean Hannity, a close friend of the former president and Fox News host, said on the show that he spoke with Trump and his golf partner Steve Witkoff afterward. They told Hannity they were on the fifth hole when they heard a “pop pop, pop pop.” Within seconds, Witkoff said, Secret Service agents “pounced on Trump” and “covered him” to protect him.

Moments later, Mr Witkoff said, a “speedy car” with steel reinforcements and other protective devices managed to whisk Mr Trump away.

Mr Hannity said that after that incident – and when it was clear that everyone, including Mr Witkoff, was safe – Mr Trump’s reaction was to joke that he was sad he couldn’t finish the hole as he was “tied for the tie and had a birdie putt”.

– What does Vice President Kamala Harris say?

Ms Harris, Trump’s Democratic opponent in the presidential election, posted on X that she had been informed of the reports of the gunshots.

She said: “I’m glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America.”

The White House said President Joe Biden and Ms Harris would be kept updated on the status of the investigation. The White House added that it was “relieved” to know that Mr Trump was safe.

– What’s next?

Mr Trump has announced no changes to his schedule and is expected to speak live on X from his Mar-a-Lago resort on Monday evening to launch his sons’ crypto platform.

Meanwhile, the heads of a bipartisan congressional task force investigating the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump said they had requested a briefing from the Secret Service.

“We are grateful that no harm came to the former president, but remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in all its forms,” ​​Reps. Mike Kelly (R-Penn.) and Jason Crow (D-Colorado) said in a statement. They said the task force would provide updates.

U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat who is part of the task force, said he would “seek answers to what happened today and what happened then.”