Second assassination attempt on Trump: How will a gunman's bullet impact 2024 presidential race?

The former president told Fox News Digital that ‘highly inflammatory language’ from Biden and Harris is the reason he's being shot at

Read this article in:

For the second time in two months, former U.S. President Donald Trump has been the target of an assassination attempt. The FBI is investigating the incident that occurred at the Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach, Florida, shortly before 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Trump was playing golf at the time and was not harmed during the incident. The suspected gunman, a 58-year-old male, Ryan Wesley Routh, remains in custody.

According to reports, Routh pointed the muzzle of his AK-47 at the former president through a fence, roughly 400 yards away. Secret Service agents, who were a few holes ahead of Trump, noticed him hiding in the bushes and opened fire. He then fled the scene and drove north to a neighboring country but was spotted by a witness and subsequently arrested by law enforcement.

Trump responded to the attack on Sunday, posting on social media, “I would like to thank everyone for your concern and well wishes – It was certainly an interesting day!” He also thanked the Secret Service and said he was “safe and well” and would “never surrender.”

Routh made his first court appearance on Monday morning. According to reports, he is a native of North Carolina who currently resides in Hawaii and has had dozens of encounters with law enforcement. He has often bashed Trump on social media and in his self-published book in support of Ukraine in its war with Russia.

On April 22, he posted on 𝕏: “DEMOCRACY is on the ballot and we cannot lose… We cannot afford to fail. The world is counting on us to show the way.” He suggested that Trump's campaign should be called "Make Americans slaves again."

Voting records revealed that Routh has made small donations to members of the Democratic Party in the past.

Trump told Fox News Digital on Monday that “highly inflammatory language” from Democrats – and specifically from U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris – is the reason he is being targeted.

“Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country, and they are the ones that are destroying the country – both from the inside and out,” Trump said.

"They do it with a combination of rhetoric and lawsuits they wrap me up in. These are the things that dangerous fools, like the shooter, listen to – that is the rhetoric they listen to, and the same with the first one,” he added, referring to the narrowly avoided tragedy at his Pennsylvania rally nine weeks ago.

With 50 days remaining until the presidential elections, there are growing concerns that an assassin’s bullet – aimed at Trump or Harris – will change the trajectory of the campaign.

Biden spoke with reporters on Monday, saying, “Thank God the president is okay.” He stressed that the Secret Service needs more help and urged Congress to “respond to their needs.”

“As I have said many times, there is no place for political violence or for any violence ever in our country, and I have directed my team to continue to ensure that Secret Service has every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure the former President's continued safety,” Biden said in a written statement.

It is still unclear how the second alleged attempt to take Trump’s life will impact the race. After the first attempt, a majority of Americans thought the incident would increase his chances of winning the election, according to a YouGov poll from late July.

However, then came the first – and likely only – debate between the two candidates, with early polls indicating Harris won.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says the state will conduct its own investigation into the assassination attempt.

“The people deserve the truth about the would be assassin and how he was able to get within 500 yards of the former president and current GOP nominee,” he posted on 𝕏.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was among world leaders who responded to the incident, posting: “Sara and I were shocked by the second assassination attempt against President Trump and were relieved to hear that it too failed. But we should not rely on luck. We send our best wishes to Donald and Melania along with our hopes that all measures will be taken to ensure that such deadly attacks on a candidate for the US presidency will be foiled in advance.”