Former President Donald Trump recently recounted the harrowing moment he heard gunshots during a golf outing in West Palm Beach, Florida. Trump praised the Secret Service agents for thwarting what would have been his second assassination attempt in as many months. He described the event during an X Spaces interview and credited the quick thinking of both the Secret Service agents and an observant civilian who provided key information leading to the arrest of the alleged assailant, Ryan Wesley Routh.
Trump was golfing with friends on Sunday morning when he heard four or five gunshots in the air. Initially unsure if they were bullets, Trump noted that Secret Service agents immediately recognized the sound and took action to protect him. The agents moved Trump and his group to safety quickly and efficiently while responding to the threat.
According to Trump, a Secret Service agent spotted the barrel of an AK-47 rifle during the incident, which prompted them to shoot at the barrel, leading to the gunshots heard by Trump and his friends. Routh then fled the scene in his vehicle, but was later tracked down and apprehended by law enforcement officers following a high-speed chase.
The former president expressed his gratitude for the efforts of both the Secret Service agents and the civilian who provided crucial information that helped lead to Routh’s arrest. He praised their quick thinking and ability to react efficiently during the dangerous situation.
Investigations into the assassination attempts are ongoing, with Routh currently facing charges related to possessing a firearm despite being a convicted felon and having an obliterated serial number on the weapon. Additional charges may be filed as the investigation progresses and prosecutors seek an indictment.
During his golf outing with Trump, businessman Steve Witkoff observed the former president’s unwavering concern for his friends first during the assassination attempt. Witkoff expressed admiration for Trump’s courage, resilience, and stoicism in the face of danger, calling him a “natural born leader.
