Donald Trump has spoken about ongoing threats to his life and compared himself to former Presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy after a gunman was shot during an attempted breach of his Mar-a-Lago estate
In an address at an Angel Families event, US President Donald Trump spoke about repeated threats to his life, describing himself as a “consequential President” and saying he was unsure how long he would “be around”, adding that “a lot of people are gunning for me”. His comments came a day after a gunman was shot by agents of the United States Secret Service during an attempted breach of his Mar-a-Lago estate and followed two earlier assassination attempts in Pennsylvania and Palm Beach.
He went on to compare himself to historical leaders, arguing that only “consequential” commanders-in-chief in America face such violence.
“You read about all these crazy shooters, but they only go after consequential presidents,” he said. “They don’t go after non-consequential presidents.”
He then referenced former leaders Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy, saying: “They were consequential… They only go after consequential. So maybe I want to be a little bit less consequential.”
Mar-a-Lago shooting
The incident occurred early Sunday when 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin attempted to enter the property with a firearm and a gas can. A Secret Service agent ordered him to drop his weapon, and after he allegedly refused, he was shot by agents. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is probing the case, and no motive has been identified.
Trump was not at the property at the time; he was in Washington hosting a governor’s dinner at the White House.
Previous attempts on Trump’s life
There have been two earlier attempts on Trump’s life. The first was on July 13, 2024, at a rally in Pennsylvania, when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired several shots, one grazing Trump’s ear. He was neutralised by Secret Service agents.
The second took place on September 15, 2024, in Palm Beach, when agents spotted a rifle aimed at Trump as he played golf at Mar-a-Lago. The suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, fled and was later arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment.
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