FBI says it’s investigating ‘what appears to be an attempted assassination’ against Trump in Florida
Former President Donald Trump makes a campaign stop at the Las Vegas Police Protective Association on September 14
(CNN) — The FBI said Sunday it “is investigating what appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump.”
The Trump campaign said earlier Sunday that the former president is “safe following gunshots in his vicinity.”
“President Trump is safe following gunshots in his vicinity. No further details at this time,” Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement.
A person has been detained in connection with an incident at Trump International Golf Club, according to a law enforcement source.
Multiple sources said Secret Service fired at the suspect. Officials believe an armed individual intended to target Trump, according to sources briefed on the matter.
A long gun has been recovered, according to the law enforcement source.
The incident comes two months after an assassination attempt against Trump at a Butler, Pennsylvania, rally that sparked scrutiny of the Secret Service.
“There were gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumors start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL!” Trump wrote in a fundraising email Sunday afternoon.
Trump was moving between holes five and six when the incident happened, a source briefed on the matter told CNN. He was golfing with with donor Steve Witkoff, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The suspect who the Secret Service engaged with was a number of holes ahead of the former president, according to two law enforcement sources.
The Secret Service said on X that it is working with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office to investigate a protective incident involving Trump. The Secret Service said the incident occurred shortly before 2 p.m.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been briefed on the security incident involving Trump and they are both “relieved to know that he is safe,” according to the White House.
“I have been briefed on reports of gunshots fired near former President Trump and his property in Florida, and I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America,” Harris wrote on the social media platform X.
Biden and Harris, both of whom are in Washington, DC, with no public events Sunday, will be kept updated by their team. Attorney General Merrick Garland has also been briefed, according to Department of Justice spokesperson Dena Iverson.
Trump is in “good spirits” after the incident, according to South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who said on X that he had spoken to him on Sunday.
“He is one of the strongest people I’ve ever known. He’s in good spirits and he is more resolved than ever to save our country,” the South Carolina Trump ally wrote.
This story and headline have been updated with additional information.
CNN’s Michelle Shen and Sam Fossum contributed to this report.
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