Trump was playing golf on Sunday afternoon at his own course in West Palm Beach, Florida;Secret Service agents were scoping out the next holes on the golf course when they spotted a gun rifle poking out of the bushes;Trump was about 350 to 450 metres from the gunman at the time, police said.Agents engaged the gunman and fired at least four rounds of ammunition about 1.30pm Florida time (3.30am AEST on Monday);The gunman then dropped his rifle, two backpacks and other items and fled in a black Nissan car;A witness took a picture of the car;Authorities then sent out an alert to statewide agencies with information about the vehicle;Police in a neighbouring county detected the car and apprehended the suspect;The suspect is now in custody; and
Trump is safe. Secret Service agents took him to a holding room at the club, The Washington Post reported.
Photo The Sydney Morning Herald
with AP
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11.00am
Alleged gunman’s son says he hopes things have been ‘blown out of proportion’
The son of suspected gunman Ryan Routh, Oran Routh, has told US broadcaster CNN that he does not know what has happened to his father but he “hopes things have just been blown out of proportion”.
“Ryan is my father and I don’t have any comment beyond a character profile of him as a loving and caring father, and honest hard-working man,” Oran Routh told CNN.
“I don’t know what’s happened in Florida, and I hope things have just been blown out of proportion, because from the little I’ve heard it doesn’t sound like the man I know to do anything crazy, much less violent.
“He’s a good father, and a great man, and I hope you can portray him in an honest light”.
10.48am
President Biden directs more resources to protect TrumpBy Christopher Harris
In a statement, US President Joe Biden says he wants to ensure the Secret Service has enough resources to ensure Trump’s safety.
Here is the statement from the White House in full:
I have been briefed by my team regarding what federal law enforcement is investigating as a possible assassination attempt of former President Trump today.
A suspect is in custody, and I commend the work of the Secret Service and their law enforcement partners for their vigilance and their efforts to keep the former President and those around him safe. I am relieved that the former President is unharmed.
There is an active investigation into this incident as law enforcement gathers more details about what happened.
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.”
Photo The Sydney Morning Herald
10.43am
Who is Trump’s golf partner?
Trump was playing golf with New York-based real estate baron Steven Witkoff at the time of the second assassination attempt.
In July, Witkoff spoke at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and praised Trump’s integrity and empathy following the death of his son from an opioid overdose.
Donald Trump, playing golf in Florida earlier this year.Credit: AP
“President Trump is as kind and compassionate a man as I’ve ever met my lifetime,” he told the convention.
Witkoff is the chief executive and chairman of Witkoff, a firm he founded in 1997.
“Since founding the firm, Mr. Witkoff has leveraged his extensive real estate expertise to successfully lead the financing, repositioning, and construction of over 70 properties in major business districts in the U.S. as well as abroad and with offices in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami,” its website says.
10.19am
Trump’s movements in lead up to second assassination attempt
In the days before the second assassination attempt, Trump had spent Friday night at a rally in Las Vegas and a Utah fundraiser.
His campaign had not advised Trump’s plans for Sunday. He often spends the morning playing golf, before having lunch at the club, AP reported.
Taylor Swift endorsed Kamala Harris last week.Credit: AP
On Sunday morning he had levelled an attack on Taylor Swift, declaring his “hate” for her just days after the pop mega-star endorsed his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris. In an all-caps posting on his Truth Social media account, Trump wrote, “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!”
10.11am
How suspect was able to get access to golf course
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the entire golf course would have been lined with law enforcement if Trump was the sitting president. But because he’s not, “security is limited” to the areas that the Secret Service deems a possible threat.
Photo The Sydney Morning Herald
“The Secret Service did exactly what they should have done. They provided exactly what the protection should have been and their agent did a fantastic job,” Bradshaw said.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw holds a photograph of the rifle and other items found near where a suspect was discovered.Credit: Getty Images
Former presidents and their spouses have Secret Service protection for life, but the security posture around former presidents varies depending on threat levels and exposure, with the toughest typically being in the immediate aftermath of their leaving office.
Trump’s protective detail has been higher than some of his peers because of his high visibility and his campaign to be elected to the White House again.
AP
10.07am
Trump campaign praises Secret Service
Trump campaign leaders are crediting the Secret Service with keeping the former president safe following an apparent assassination attempt in Florida.
In an email sent to staff Sunday evening, senior campaign advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles wrote, “Today, for the second time in two months, an evil monster attempted to take the life of President Trump.”
“Thankfully, no one was injured at the Golf Course. President Trump and everyone accompanying him are safe thanks to the great work of the United States Secret Service,” they wrote.
Here is a detailed map of exactly where the gunman was detected. Trump was 350 to 450 metres from the gunman at the time, police said.
AP
9.53am
‘Pop pop, pop pop’: Secret service pounced on Trump to protect him
Fox News host Sean Hannity, a close Trump friend, said on air that he spoke with both Trump and the former president’s golf partner, Steve Witkoff, after the incident.
Photo The Sydney Morning Herald
They told Hannity that they had been on the fifth hole and were about to go up to putt when they heard a “pop pop, pop pop”. Within seconds, Secret Service agents “pounced on” Trump and “covered him” to protect him, he said Witkoff recounted to him.
In the aftermath, Trump checked in with allies, including his vice presidential nominee, J.D. Vance, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham and several Fox News hosts.
AP
9.47am
Trump cracks jokes as his family respond to second assassination attemptBy Christopher Harris
Donald Trump joked that he was unable to finish his golf game on Sunday afternoon, as his family responded to the second assassination attempt on the Republican presidential nominee.
According to The New York Times, Trump was at his Mar-a-Lago resort after the incident at his Trump International Golf Club and joked to friends about not being able to complete his game. The publication cited sources who were briefed on the situation inside his resort, which is his Florida home.
Speaking to Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Donald Trump’s son Eric commented on the situation, saying, “My father is running out of lives here.”
“How many more rifles are going to come within assassination distance of my father?” Eric Trump said during the interview.
8.58am
Australian politicians react to second Trump assassination attempt
Another potential assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump has been condemned by Australian politicians.
The second-time presidential hopeful has been the target of “what appears to be an attempted assassination” at his golf club in Florida on Sunday, the FBI has confirmed, two months after a bullet grazed Mr Trump’s ear at a Pennsylvania rally.
Minister for Housing and Minister for Homelessness Clare O’Neil.Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald
Photo The Sydney Morning Herald
Australian cabinet ministers have extended their thoughts to the Republican nominee.
Housing Minister Clare O’Neil said the incident was “absolutely awful” and reflected on its impacts on Australian politics.
“It worries me because America is such an important and powerful democracy, and it does affect us here in Australia,” she told the ABC on Monday.
“We’re very lucky here and I never want Australians to lose sight of that.”
Australia’s strict gun laws and a political culture where political differences are resolved at the ballot box rather than violence have contributed to the nation’s stability.
“This is not the case in many countries in the world and it’s something precious and it’s something we’ve got to value,” Ms O’Neil said.
“It’s a little bit fragile at times and we need to support it and protect it.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she was relieved Mr Trump was not injured.
“Political violence has no place in any society – certainly has no place in a democracy,” she told ABC radio.
“This is another dreadful demonstration of potential political violence.”
AAP
8.34am
Albanese reacts to second Trump assassination attempt
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says it is “a good thing” that President Donald Trump is safe.
When asked if he would meet with Trump when he is in the US later this week for the Quad summit, Albanese noted he would be in Delaware for just one night for the summit.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
“I’ll be meeting with President Biden, with Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi and Prime Minister [Fumio] Kishida in Delaware. We will have bilateral meetings as well as much to discuss, including the AUKUS arrangements with the United States. I’m finalising my itinerary, but it is centred on the Quad meeting.”
This latest apparent assassination attempt on Trump comes just nine weeks after the Republican presidential nominee survived another such attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania. In that attempt, a bullet grazed his ear.
