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

WASHINGTON — The FBI said Sunday it is investigating “what appears to be an assassination attempt” on Donald Trump at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, just nine weeks after the Republican presidential candidate survived another assassination attempt. Trump said he was protected and sound.

Three law enforcement officials said the U.S. Secret Service opened fire on a man who was pointing an AK-style rifle at the clubhouse while Trump was on the golf course. The man dropped the weapon and fled in an SUV and was later detained in a neighboring county. The officials were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

An AK-style firearm was found at the scene near Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach, two officials said. And no injuries were reported.

The incident was the latest shocking moment in a campaign year marked by unprecedented upheaval. It came about two months after Trump was shot during assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania and the bullet grazed him in the earJust a week later, President Joe Biden withdrew from the race.

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!”

“Nothing will slow me down. I WILL NEVER GIVE UP!” said the former president.

The golf course was partially closed to Trump while he was playing, and agents were several holes ahead of him when they spotted a person with a firearm, officials said. There are several areas around the perimeter of the property where golfers are noticeable from the fence line. Secret Service agents and officers in golf carts and on ATVs typically secure an area several holes ahead and behind Trump while he plays golf. Agents also typically bring an armored vehicle to the course to quickly shelter Trump in case of an emergency.

Trump returned to Florida this weekend from a West Coast swing that included a Friday night in Las Vegas and a fundraiser in Utah. His campaign has not informed Trump of his plans for Sunday. He often spends the morning playing golf and then has lunch at his country club, one of three he owns in the state.

The former president has had his security tightened since the attempted assassination in July. When he was at Trump Tower in New York, a line of dump trucks parked on the wall outside the building. And at outdoor rallies, he now speaks from behind a shield of bulletproof glass.

Trump returned safely after the incident to his private Mar-a-Lago club, where he lives in neighboring Palm Beach, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The White House said President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, have been briefed and will be kept updated on the investigation. The White House added that they are “relieved” to know Trump is protected.

Harris said in a statement that she was “glad” Trump was protected, adding that “violence has no place in America.”

In the post, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-C., a top Trump ally in Congress, said he spoke with Trump after the incident and that Trump was “in good spirits” and “one of the strongest people I’ve ever met.”

Martin County Sheriff William D. Snyder said the suspect was apprehended within minutes of the FBI, Secret Service and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office issuing a “high-urgency BOLO” — or “be on the lookout” alert — detailing the wanted vehicle, license plate number and description of the occupant.

Snyder said his deputies “immediately flooded” the northbound portion of I-95, occupying all exits between the Palm Beach County line to the south and the St. Lucie County line to the north.

“One of my highway patrolmen spotted the vehicle, matched the tag number and took care of the vehicle,” Snyder said. “We pulled the car over, stopped it safely and arrested the driver.”

Snyder told WPTV the suspect “was not armed when we got him out of the car.”

Snyder said the man remained peaceful and composed and showed no emotion when police stopped him. He added that the suspect did not ask why he was being stopped.

“He never asked, ‘What’s this all about?’ Obviously law enforcement with long guns, blue lights, a lot of stuff going on. He never questioned that,” Snyder said.

A Justice Department spokeswoman said Attorney General Merrick Garland has been briefed on the situation and is receiving regular updates.

A post from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office indicated the suspect was taken into custody near Palm City, Florida, about 45 miles north of Trump’s golf course. The northbound lanes of I-95 were closed, the sheriff’s office said.

A message left with campaign officials seeking information on the security status and whereabouts of Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, Trump’s vice presidential candidate, was not immediately returned.

Max Egusquiza of Palm Beach described the rescue operation outside Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach.

“From what I saw, five black, unmarked SUVs were blocked by a gray Mercedes in front of the golf course. There were about 20 or more police cars flying in from the streets nearby,” he said.

Trump is scheduled to speak about cryptocurrencies live on social media site X Monday night during the launch of his sons’ cryptocurrency platform. He is expected to do so from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The former president is scheduled to return to the campaign Tuesday for a town hall meeting in Flint, Michigan, with his former press secretary, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and then attend a campaign rally in New York City on Long Island on Wednesday.

He is scheduled to attend and deliver a speech at the Israel-American Council National Summit in Washington later this week, and on Saturday he is scheduled to lead a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina.