Last Sunday (September 15), Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump encountered another unsuccessful assassination attempt at a golf course in Florida. President Joe Biden expressed his condolences to the former president over the phone following the incident.
On Monday (16th), White House Senior Deputy Press Secretary Emilie Simons posted on social media platform X that Biden had a phone conversation with Trump and was relieved to hear that Trump was unharmed. They had a friendly conversation, and Trump expressed his gratitude for the condolences.
Trump later issued a statement saying that he and Biden had a “very pleasant conversation” discussing issues related to the U.S. Secret Service protection.
In a statement released on Sunday, Biden expressed relief that Trump was unharmed and stated that law enforcement was actively investigating the incident to gather more details.
Biden emphasized that “our country has no place for political violence or any form of violence,” and he has directed his team to ensure that the Secret Service has all necessary resources, capabilities, and security measures to ensure the continued safety of the former president.
According to reports, on Monday morning, Biden left the White House to attend the traditional Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Week conference in Philadelphia. He told reporters that the Secret Service “needs more help,” such as possibly increasing manpower.
“I believe Congress should meet their needs if they do indeed need more Secret Service personnel… That’s what we need to discuss.”
During the conference, Biden also addressed the incident, stating that “since the suspect has been detained, the acting director of the Secret Service is assessing the situation in Florida today and will decide if further adjustments are needed to ensure the safety of the former president.”
The 58-year-old suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, appeared in federal court in Florida on Monday and faced charges related to firearms possession, including being convicted but still illegally carrying a gun and possessing a firearm with obliterated serial numbers.
Prosecutors said that Secret Service agents found an armed man at Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida on Sunday and fired shots at him while the former president was playing at the course. The man was later arrested while trying to flee.
This is the second attempted assassination against Trump. Two months ago, a gunman opened fire at a Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, hitting Trump in the right ear. One rally attendee was killed, and the gunman was shot dead on the spot.