President Joe Biden has pledged full support for the Secret Service, assuring them of “every resource” to protect former President Donald Trump following a second apparent assassination attempt on his life, Sky News reports.
The incident occurred at Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida, where Trump was playing golf. A suspect, identified as 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, was apprehended after a Secret Service agent spotted a rifle barrel protruding from the perimeter fence surrounding the course. While no shots were fired, authorities recovered an AK-47 type assault rifle, two backpacks, and a GoPro device hidden nearby.
Source: Ryan Routh/Facebook
Biden expressed relief that Trump was unharmed, commended the Secret Service’s efforts and directed his team to ensure the agency has all necessary resources and protective measures to safeguard Trump’s safety.
The incident has raised concerns about the Secret Service’s security protocols, as the suspect managed to get within 500 yards of Trump. This marks the second apparent attempt on Trump’s life in nine weeks, following an earlier incident at a rally in July where he was injured during an assassination attempt.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, announced a state investigation into the incident, calling for transparency about the would-be assassin’s proximity to Trump.
The Secret Service has come under intense scrutiny following the first assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. The incident led to the resignation of Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, who acknowledged the agency’s “most significant operational failure” in decades.
Despite the criticism, the Trump campaign credited the Secret Service agents for their swift action and their role in keeping everyone safe, including Trump himself.
