President Trump has survived three assassination attempts within 21 months, facing threats at a rally, a golf course, and now a prominent hotel event. Security experts label the latest incident a major failure after a gunman, described by Trump as a “whack job,” stormed the Washington Hilton lobby during the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.
Latest Shooting at Washington Hilton
The armed suspect, carrying firearms and knives, sprinted past a metal detector and charged toward the ballroom. Footage shows him bypassing security checkpoints, prompting fears of a potential catastrophe. One officer sustained a gunshot wound, but his bullet-resistant vest prevented serious injury. Trump and several top U.S. politicians were quickly evacuated from the stage as agents subdued and arrested the gunman.
Andrew Badger, a former Defense Intelligence Agency officer, highlighted the gravity: “This is a historic event. What strikes me is that eight out of the nine cabinet members who would succeed President Trump were at this single event… this is a historic failure; this gunman should never have gotten that close to the President.”
The hotel gained notoriety as the site of former President Reagan’s 1981 shooting by John Hinckley Jr., who fired at him outside after a speech. That event led to enhanced security, including a protected garage and private elevator for VIPs. Despite upgrades, the recent breach occurred during a gathering of global leaders.
July 2024 Rally Attack in Pennsylvania
Trump came closest to death on July 13, 2024, at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, fired eight rifle rounds from a nearby rooftop, grazing Trump’s right ear. The attack killed attendee Corey Comperatore, 50, a former volunteer fire chief shielding his family, and seriously injured two others. A Secret Service marksman neutralized Crooks.
Bloodied but defiant, Trump stood, raised his fist, and shouted “fight, fight, fight.” A Senate report later criticized Secret Service planning, communications, and leadership for allowing the shooter to access an elevated position within the perimeter. Witnesses spotted the threat before security responded fully.
September 2024 Golf Course Threat
While golfing at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, agents spotted a rifle barrel in the bushes. Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, fled after a Secret Service agent fired at him but was captured on a nearby highway. He now serves a life sentence.
Other Recent Incidents
In September 2025, off-duty NYPD officer Melvin Eng appeared at the Ryder Cup golf tournament at Bethpage Black Course in New York, dressed in tactical gear and posing as part of Trump’s security detail. On sick leave with no assignment, Eng faces suspension pending investigation.
Earlier this year in February, 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 Mar-a-Lago with a shotgun and fuel canister. Trump was absent. Reports indicate Martin’s obsession with Jeffrey Epstein, a former Trump associate.
Expert Reactions and Trump’s Response
Trump reflected: “I’ve studied assassinations, and I must tell you, the most impactful people, the people that do the most… The people that make the biggest impact, they’re the ones that they go after.”
Former FBI agent Jonathan Gilliam expressed shock at the repeated close calls: “There has been better security at events like the Super Bowl. You cannot get a bag bigger than a purse in. I cannot for the life of me understand how this keeps happening.”
Ex-FBI agent Barry Donadio described the hotel video as chilling: “I have manned checkpoints like that. Watching the video of him running to get through gave me chills. He ran quickly. If they had not stopped him then he would have gotten right through. They did exactly what they were supposed to do, but that video is terrifying.”
