5 Things You Need to Know About the Alleged Assassination Attempt on Donald Trump at One of His Golf Courses

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Former President Donald Trump is sheltered after what the FBI says “appears to be an assassination attempt” while he was playing golf, two months after another assassination attempt on his life at a rally in Pennsylvania.

Local authorities said Secret Service agents protecting Trump shot at a man who was aiming a scoped AK-style rifle while Trump was playing at one of his golf courses in West Palm Beach, Florida.

» READ MORE: FBI says Trump was the subject of an alleged assassination attempt at his Florida golf club

Here are five things you need to know about what happened Sunday in the life of the Republican presidential candidate.

Who is the suspect?

Law enforcement officials said the man who pointed the rifle and was arrested was Ryan Wesley Routh. Officials identified the suspect to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.

According to an archived version of the company’s website, documents show that Routh, 58, lived in North Carolina for most of his life before moving to Kaaawa, Hawaii, in 2018.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

Routh frequently posted on social media about the war in Ukraine and had a website where he sought to raise money and recruit volunteers to travel to Kyiv to fight the Russian invasion. In June 2020, he posted on X aimed at then-President Trump, saying he would win reelection if he issued an executive order for the Justice Department to prosecute police abuse. 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 endorsed Trump.

But in recent years, his posts suggest he has lost interest in Trump and has expressed support for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

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

Voter records show he registered as an independent voter in North Carolina in 2012 and last voted in person during that state’s March 2024 Democratic primary. Federal campaign finance records show that since 2019, Routh has made 19 miniature political donations totaling $140, using his Hawaii address, to ActBlue, a political action committee supporting Democratic candidates.

Records show that while living in Greensboro, North Carolina, Routh had numerous run-ins with law enforcement. He was convicted in 2002 of possessing a weapon of mass destruction, according to online records from the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections.

There are no details about the case in the file. But News and records a 2002 story says a man with the same name was arrested after a three-hour standoff with police. The story says he was pulled over during a traffic stop, put his hand on a gun and barricaded himself inside a roofing company. He owned the roofing company, according to state registration documents.

How did it happen?

Local authorities said the attacker was about 400 to 500 yards away from Trump and was hiding in bushes while the former president was playing golf at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said that when people go into the bushes around the course, “they’re basically out of sight.” Bradshaw said that if Trump were the sitting president, the entire course would be staffed with law enforcement officers, but since he’s gone, “protection is limited to areas that the Secret Service has determined are possible.”

Trump’s security detail was higher than that of some of his peers because of his high profile and his campaign to run for the White House again. His security was beefed up in the days before the July bombing attempt in Pennsylvania because of a threat to Trump’s life from Iran, U.S. officials said.

What has Trump said since the ordeal?

In an email to his supporters, Trump wrote: “Guns were heard in my neighborhood, but before the rumors get out of hand, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND FEEL HEALTHY!”

His running mate, J.D. Vance, and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said they spoke with Trump after the incident, and both said he was “in good spirits.” Trump also spoke with several Fox News hosts.

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

Moments later, Witkoff said, a “speed car” with steel reinforcements and other safety features was able to pick Trump up.

Hannity said Trump’s reaction after the incident — once it was clear everyone, including Witkoff, was sheltered — was to joke that he was sorrowful he wasn’t able to finish the hole because “he was tied and had the putt for birdie.”

What does Vice President Kamala Harris say?

Harris, Trump’s Democratic presidential opponent, posted on X saying she had received reports of shots fired.

“I’m glad he’s safe. Violence has no place in America.”

The White House said President Joe Biden and Harris would be briefed on the investigation’s progress. The White House added that it was “pleased” to know Trump was sheltered.

What’s next?

Trump has not announced any changes to his schedule. On Monday night, he will appear live on Show X from his Mar-a-Lago resort, where he will discuss the launch of his sons’ cryptocurrency platform.

Meanwhile, the leaders of a bipartisan congressional commission investigating the failed July 13 assassination attempt on Trump said they had asked the Secret Service for information.

“We are grateful that the former president was not harmed, but we remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in all its forms,” Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., said in a statement. They said the task force would share updates.

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