Following the recent shootings in Washington, it has come to light that Donald Trump has survived more assassination attempts than any other president in U.S. history.
The gunman arrested during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner is reportedly the sixth individual taken into custody for attempting to kill President Trump since 2016. A deeper analysis of media reports and court records reveals that there have been even more attempts—especially when considering plots that were nipped in the bud early on, including those linked to Iran and certain cults. Barack Obama had a significantly lower number of recorded attempts against him.
The history of threats against U.S. presidents did not start with Trump, of course. Andrew Jackson faced an assassination attempt back in 1835, and four presidents have been successful targets. Yet, in the past decade, the unprecedented wave of threats against Trump has further complicated America’s political climate.
“Attempted murder is always a serious crime, but when the intended victim is the President of the United States or a high-ranking government official, the implications expand considerably,” stated the Department of Justice in a letter discussing the recent gunman, identified as Cole Allen, who had intentions to cause havoc during a Saturday dinner event. The DOJ highlighted that Allen’s actions could have disrupted the federal government, especially given the number of officials present.
Undocumented Immigrants, Poisonous Letters, and Forklifts
In another incident from June 2016, Michael Sandford, an undocumented British immigrant, was apprehended after trying to grab a police officer’s firearm during a Trump rally in Nevada. Court documents showed that Sandford had been rehearsing his plan the day before. He claimed he’d been planning to kill Trump for about a year, citing Trump’s racist stance as motivation.
Sandford’s mother later stated that mental health struggles had contributed to his reckless behavior. He was sentenced to one year in prison and released in May 2017.
Just months later, Gregory Reingan tried to enter a refinery in North Dakota intending to steal a forklift to flip Trump’s motorcade. He later pleaded guilty to several charges related to that incident, albeit his defense argued he was undergoing severe mental health issues at the time.
Federal agents intercepted a letter addressed to Trump in September 2020 that contained poison, sent by Pascal Ferrier, a French-Canadian who was sentenced to nearly 22 years for the crime. Ferrier expressed regret at her sentencing, claiming her only regret was the plan’s failure.
A 2018 incident involving William Allen, who sent poisoned letters, resulted in charges being dropped due to concerns about his mental state, marking what could be considered another attempt on Trump’s life.
“People are after me.”
Three confirmed attempts on Trump’s life, including one that led to congressional investigations, highlighted the pressing issues surrounding security during his presidency. However, one attempted assassination remains unknown.
At a July 2024 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, a 20-year-old opened fire from a rooftop, resulting in the deaths of several individuals, including a firefighter supporting Trump. The reasoning behind this attack is still unclear, but it led to significant scrutiny of security measures at such events.
Additionally, a man named Ryan Routh was apprehended for trying to obstruct Trump from returning to office. He had plans to acquire weapons through illegal means and was ultimately sentenced to life in prison.
Recently, Cole Allen was taken into custody after bypassing security at an event, further pointing to ongoing concerns about safety and the influence of aggressive rhetoric surrounding Trump. Attendees at the Correspondents’ Dinner remarked on the lax security, highlighting the need for improved protective measures.
In another instance, a shooting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, where a young man was killed by law enforcement after making threats, went largely unnoticed. The individual in question appeared to have a disregard for politics, despite coming from a pro-Trump family.
Amidst all this, Trump himself commented on his precarious situation, noting in a public speech, “I don’t know how long I’ll live. So many people are after me,” which drew laughter from the audience but underscored a real and ongoing threat.
