On Monday night, former President Donald Trump revealed key details about the assassination attempt at a stadium during a live broadcast at X Spaces. This was Trump’s first public address since the failed assassination attempt.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is currently investigating the security incident. Just nine weeks ago, Trump was hit in the ear by a sniper during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Having been targeted twice in a matter of weeks, many Republican lawmakers are calling for increased security measures for presidential candidates.
Around 8:00 p.m. on Monday night, Trump was interviewed by host and internet personality Farokh at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
During the conversation, Trump praised the Secret Service’s work as “outstanding.”
Recalling the incident, Trump said, “I was playing golf with some friends at the time… very calm, the weather was beautiful. Suddenly we heard gunshots.”
Trump mentioned that an agent spotted the rifle and “started shooting towards the bushes… and then ran towards the target.”
He said they heard “four or five” shots, with some agents firing warning shots into the air. They were then instructed to quickly leave the scene.
“Everyone got on golf carts, we left quickly… I really wanted to sink that last putt, but we had to get out of there,” Trump said. “We left the scene smoothly.”
The man accused of attempting to assassinate former President Trump has been identified as Ryan Wesley Routh. Authorities believe he had been lurking near the golf course for about 12 hours before the attack.
When Secret Service agents found Routh, he was holding an AK-47 rifle with a scope and pointing it in Trump’s direction. After the suspect dropped the gun and fled, security personnel found two backpacks and a Go-Pro camera near the weapon.
Routh appeared in a federal court in West Palm Beach on Monday morning, charged with two gun offenses. As the investigation progresses, he may face additional charges.
During the conversation, Trump also noted that a civilian woman drove her car behind Routh’s vehicle, took a photo of the license plate, and handed the picture over to authorities, assisting law enforcement in tracking down the suspect.
Trump said the outcome of this assassination attempt was “much better” than in July, as no one else was injured or killed.
The interview was originally scheduled to discuss Trump’s upcoming cryptocurrency platform, World Liberty Financial (WLFI). However, due to the Sunday attack on Trump, a significant portion of the conversation focused on this latest security incident.
Host Farokh thanked Trump for honoring the interview as scheduled.
Trump believes both gunmen who attempted to assassinate him may be “radical leftists.”
Trump also mentioned his conversation with President Joe Biden earlier on Monday, where Biden called to confirm his well-being after the failed assassination attempt.
“He was very kind, he called to make sure I was okay,” Trump said. He added that Biden also sought his opinion on whether more security personnel should be dispatched to ensure safety details.
On Monday, Biden told reporters that he believes the Secret Service “needs more assistance.”