5 Presidential Assassination Attempts In 2 Years
The attempted assassination of Former President Trump is the 5th attempted assassination of a former president or presidential candidate in 2 years.
A would-be assassin identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks shot at President Trump moments after the 45th president assumed the stage at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A last-second tilt of Trump's head saved the former president's life and allowed the bullet to only graze Trump's ear.
Secret Service then tackled Trump and snipers returned fire, killing the shooter. Although Trump survived, one spectator was killed and another was injured. Trump then arose with Secret Service clinging to him, and addressed the crowd, shouting "Fight fight fight!."
Then Trump was swept up and taken to his motorcade by security as the crowd was overcome with cheers of "USA! USA! USA!"
Melania Trump issued a statement the following morning.
"When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron's life were on the brink of devastating change," the former First Lady said.
"I am grateful to the brave secret service agents and law enforcement officials who risked their own lives to protect my husband."
She then paid tribute to the other victims of the attack."To the families of the innocent victims who are now suffering from this heinous act, I humbly offer my sincerest sympathy," she said.
“The winds of change have arrived. For those of you who cry in support, I thank you. I commend those of you who have reached out beyond the political divide–– thank you for remembering that every single politician is a man or a woman with a loving family,” Melania said in closing.
Fellow presidential contender Robert F. Kennedy Jr, whose father was infamously slain during an event at the Ambassador Hotel in California while campaigning for president in 1968 was quick to issue a comment. "Now is the time for every American who loves our country to step back from the division, renounce all violence, and unite in prayer for President Trump and his family," Kennedy said on Twitter.
RFK Jr is no stranger to extreme danger on the campaign trail. He has suffered three similar security breaches and the Biden Administration has repeatedly denied the candidate access to a Secret Service detail.
The first incident happened when a man dressed as a federal marshal attempted to muscle his way up to Kennedy during an event in California. This man was heavily armed and was intercepted by Kennedy’s private security detail after they identified irregularities in his credentials.
The Los Angeles District Attorney's office declined to file felony charges, pursuing only misdemeanor charges, according to ABC News. This legal action resembled law enforcement actions that enabled other security breachers for Kennedy.
A 28-year-old real estate agent, identified as Jonathan Macht, was arrested for breaking into Kennedy's home on October 27th, 2023. He was taken into police custody and released the same day. He then returned to the Kennedy House and breached the perimeter again. He was again arrested.
“Yesterday an intruder climbed the fence at my home and was arrested,” Kennedy wrote on X at the time. “After being released from police custody later in the day, he immediately returned to my home and was arrested again.”
Kennedy and his wife were home at the time of both incidents and De Becker, the company substituting as his private security team, had repeatedly warned the Secret Service about Macht, according to Politico.
The denial of a major presidential candidate Secret Service protection, this late in a campaign, is unprecedented in recent political history and has drawn the ire of Senators like Ted Cruz who has intensely criticized Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas for not approving Kennedy's requests. Senator Bernie Sanders, for example, was granted a detail in February 2016 despite not being a party nominee and not having won a single primary at the time of his request.
The incidents involving Kennedy were preceded by a plot on Former President George W Bush's life in February 2022. An alleged ISIS operative identified as Shihab Ahmed Shihab was intercepted by The FBI as he allegedly surveilled Bush's Dallas-area home. FBI documents obtained by NBC News say he planned to have ex-Iraqi intelligence officials into the U.S. to aid his plot "to murder former President George W. Bush," the outlet reports.
The Secret Service was not reported to be involved in the interception of any of these incidents that endangered the lives of some of America's most prominent political figures.
Democrat Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson introduced legislation to deny secret service protection to anyone convicted of a felony in April. Though the bill did not pass, it was clearly targeted at Trump who had a looming criminal conviction in New York at that time. Trump's lawyers have now asked the state court to throw out his conviction after the former president received a favorable ruling from the United States Supreme Court on presidential immunity.
Thompson fired a staffer on July 14th after she allegedly tweeted, "I don't condone violence but please get you some shooting lessons so you don't miss next time ooops that wasn't me talking," after news broke of Trump's attempted assassination.
In case you have missed the previous updates, you can read them here:
TRUMP ARRIVES IN NJ| MELANIA SUPPORTS HUSBAND
BREAKING: SUSPECTED SHOOTER REVEALED *GRAPHIC*
VIDEO: ATTEMPTED ASSASSIN KILLED
WAS SECRET SERVICE WARNED? EYE WITNESS SAYS SO
TRUMP SPEAKS AFTER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
UPDATE: POSSIBLE TRUMP SHOOTER, VIDEO
VIDEO: TRUMP SHOT
TRUMP SHOT, REPORTS SAY
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