Former President Donald Trump has faced three assassination attempts within 21 months, including incidents at a rally, a golf course, and most recently a high-profile hotel event. Security breaches have repeatedly placed him in peril, with the latest described as a major failure.
Latest Incident at Washington Hilton
During the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, an armed man carrying firearms and knives stormed the lobby of the Washington Hilton. Dubbed a “whack job” by Trump, the assailant sprinted past a metal detector and charged toward the ballroom. Footage shows him bypassing security in what experts call a potential catastrophe.
One officer sustained a gunshot wound to his bullet-resistant vest. Trump and top U.S. politicians were swiftly evacuated from the stage as security subdued and arrested the gunman. The hotel gained notoriety as the site of former President Ronald Reagan’s 1981 shooting by John Hinckley Jr., prompting enhanced security measures like a protected garage and private elevators.
Andrew Badger, former Defense Intelligence Agency officer, highlighted the gravity: “This is a historic event. Eight out of nine cabinet members who would succeed President Trump were at this single event. This gunman should never have gotten that close.”
July 2024 Rally Shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania
On July 13, 2024, a bullet grazed Trump’s right ear during a rally. Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, fired eight rounds from a rooftop with a rifle, killing attendee Corey Comperatore, 50, a former volunteer fire chief shielding his family. Two others suffered serious injuries.
A Secret Service marksman neutralized Crooks. Trump defiantly stood, blood on his face, raising his fist and shouting “fight, fight, fight.” A Senate report criticized Secret Service planning, communications, and leadership for allowing the shooter to access an elevated position within the perimeter. Witnesses spotted the threat before authorities reacted.
September 2024 Golf Course Threat
While golfing at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, Secret Service agents spotted a rifle barrel in the bushes. Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, fled without firing and was captured on a nearby highway. He now serves a life sentence.
Additional Security Breaches
September 2025 Ryder Cup Incident
At the Ryder Cup golf tournament at Bethpage Black Course in New York, off-duty NYPD officer Melvin Eng arrived in full tactical gear, posing as part of Trump’s security detail. On sick leave with no assignment, Eng faced suspension pending NYPD investigation.
February 2026 Mar-a-Lago Breach
Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s deputy fatally shot Austin T. Martin, 21, from North Carolina, after he breached the inner perimeter at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence. Armed with a shotgun and fuel canister, Martin showed growing obsession with Jeffrey Epstein. Trump was absent during the event.
Expert Analysis and Trump’s Response
Trump reflected: “I’ve studied assassinations, and the most impactful people, the ones that make the biggest impact, are the ones they go after.”
Former FBI agent Jonathan Gilliam expressed shock: “There has been better security at events like the Super Bowl. You cannot get a bag bigger than a purse. I cannot understand how this keeps happening.”
Ex-FBI agent Barry Donadio described the hotel video: “I have manned checkpoints like that. Watching him run through gave me chills. He ran quickly. If they had not stopped him, he would have gotten right through. They did what they were supposed to do, but that video is terrifying.”
