Trump Assassination Threats: Butler to Golf Club Breach

Over the past decade, President Donald Trump’s rise and return to the center of American politics have been shadowed by gunfire, armed suspects and alleged assassination plots.

Nearly two years after a sniper’s bullet wounded him in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump remains the target of a string of threats unlike anything seen in modern presidential politics.

From the earliest days of his campaign appearances to the latest security scare at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, the president’s second term has unfolded amid persistent concerns about his safety.

Las Vegas, Nevada — June 18, 2016

One of the earliest high-profile incidents involved Michael Steven Sandford, a British citizen who attempted to grab a Las Vegas police officer’s firearm from its holster as then-candidate Trump addressed supporters at a rally.

Court records state that Sandford later told investigators he had gone to Las Vegas with the goal of killing Trump and had practiced with a rented handgun at a shooting range the day before. Officers restrained him within moments, and the incident ended without injuries.

Sandford pleaded guilty to federal firearm and disruption charges and was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison.

Mandan, North Dakota — Sept. 6, 2017

Gregory Lee Leingang stole a forklift and drove it into a restricted area near the route planned for Trump’s motorcade before the president’s appearance at a refinery.

Prosecutors said Leingang intended to use the forklift to overturn the presidential limousine and kill Trump.

The forklift became stuck inside a gated area before the motorcade arrived, and Leingang abandoned it and fled on foot. He was arrested and later pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from the security breach.

Washington, D.C. — September 2020

Pascale Ferrier mailed a threatening letter containing homemade ricin to Trump at the White House during the 2020 presidential campaign. The envelope was intercepted at a mail-sorting facility before it reached the White House, and Trump was not exposed to the deadly toxin.

Ferrier also sent ricin letters to eight law enforcement officials in Texas and was arrested at the U.S.-Canada border with a loaded gun and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

She pleaded guilty to violating federal biological weapons laws and was sentenced to 262 months in prison.

Butler, Pennsylvania — July 13, 2024

Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from a rooftop outside the rally’s security perimeter as Trump addressed supporters near Butler.

The gunfire wounded Trump in his right ear, killed rally attendee Corey Comperatore and seriously injured David Dutch and James Copenhaver.

A Secret Service counter-sniper killed Crooks seconds after the shooting began.

West Palm Beach, Florida — Sept. 15, 2024

Ryan Wesley Routh concealed himself in brush along the fence of Trump’s golf course while the then-presidential candidate played nearby. A Secret Service agent scouting ahead of Trump spotted Routh’s rifle and opened fire, causing Routh to flee without firing a shot.

Authorities arrested him on Interstate 95 and recovered a loaded, scoped rifle, armor plates, a camera and other evidence from the fence line.

A federal jury convicted Routh of attempted assassination and related charges in September 2025, and a judge sentenced him in February 2026 to life plus seven years in prison.

Washington, D.C. — April 25, 2026

Federal prosecutors allege Cole Tomas Allen entered the Washington Hilton armed with a shotgun, a pistol and knives during the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.

Authorities say Allen rushed a security checkpoint and fired, striking a Secret Service officer in the chest; the officer’s ballistic vest prevented serious injury.

Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other senior officials were evacuated. One Secret Service agent was struck in the chest by a round but survived due to wearing an armored vest.

Allen has pleaded not guilty to charges including attempting to assassinate the president, assaulting a federal officer and firearms offenses, and the case remains pending.

Rancho Palos Verdes, California — Aug. 2, 2026

A California man was arrested Sunday at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes after allegedly monitoring security planning activities days before the president’s visit and was later found with a cache of weapons and body armor, authorities said.

Investigators said they recovered an illegally modified AR-platform rifle; a 1911 .45-caliber pistol; an AR-platform upper receiver; body armor; high-capacity magazines; bulk pistol and rifle ammunition; two radio signal devices; and multiple notebooks containing what authorities described as “concerning statements.”

Jeanine John Taele, 38, of Downey, pleaded not guilty to four criminal charges stemming from his arrest outside the golf course days before the president’s scheduled visit.

A Los Angeles County judge set Taele’s bail at $250,000, ordered him not to possess any weapons, barred him from Trump National Golf Club and prohibited him from leaving California while the case is pending.

In a statement to News Outlet, a spokesperson with the U.S. Secret Service said: “With respect to this defendant, we do not comment on the specifics of protective intelligence matters. However, the U.S. Secret Service thoroughly investigates any information or activity that may reasonably be perceived as a protective intelligence concern or indicate a potential threat or directed interest toward any individual under Secret Service protection.

“We are grateful to our partners at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Joint Terrorism Task Force for their continued support and strong partnership in advancing our shared investigative and protective missions.”