Trump Vows 'Will Never Surrender' After Foiled Assassination Attempt

Hours after another attempt on his life, former US president Donald Trump Monday said he will never surrender and never stop fighting for Americans.
The Republican presidential candidate also thanked the US Secret Service and other law enforcement officials for their "outstanding" job after what the FBI said was an apparent assassination attempt while playing golf on one of his golf courses in Florida's West Palm Beach.

The former president emerged unscathed from the newest assassination attempt, almost two months after another attempt was made to take his life during an appearance at a rally in Pennsylvania.

"I am Donald J. Trump. FEAR NOT! I am safe and well, and no one was hurt. Thank God!," the Republican presidential candidate posted on his campaign website.

"There are people in this world who would do whatever it took to stop us. I will not give up fighting for you. I will Never Surrender! I will always love you for your support. Through our UNITY we will Make America Great Again! I will Never Surrender!" he said.
"THE JOB DONE WAS ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING," the former president said in a post on Truth Social.

"I would like to thank everyone for your concern and well wishes -- It was certainly an interesting day!" Above all, I want to thank the US Secret Service, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and his Office of brave and dedicated patriots, and, all of the law enforcement, for the incredible job done today at Trump International in keeping me, as the 45th President of the United States, and the Republican nominee in the upcoming presidential election, SAFE, Trump said.

The local authorities reported that the US Secret Service agents were those who fired at a man pointing an AK-style rifle with a scope while the former president was golfing with donor Steve Witkoff when shots were fired, CNN quoted a source familiar with the development as saying.

President Joe Biden and vice-president Kamala Harris are briefed on the developments.

Harris, Democratic presidential candidate and Trump's competitor in the election, in a statement, said: "violence has no place in America."

"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 said on X.

Biden echoed that thought in a statement released Tuesday, saying he had instructed his team to make sure the Secret Service "has every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure the former president's continued safety".

"As I have said many times, there is no place for political violence or any violence ever in our country," Biden said on X, adding that he was "relieved the former president is unharmed".

Billionaire owner of X, formally known as Twitter, Elon Musk commented on the assassination attempts against Trump: Why no one makes threats like these to Biden/Harris?

A comment by an X user asked why Trump was being targeted.

The Tesla CEO responded: "And no one is even trying to assassinate Biden/Kamala."

Speaking for himself and his wife Sara after this apparent assassination attempt, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "We were shocked by the second assassination attempt against [former] president Trump and relieved to hear it too failed. But we should not rely on luck."

We are transmitting our best wishes to Donald and Melania together with the hopes that every step will be taken so such lethal attacks against a candidate to the presidency of the United States might be avoided in advance," the Israeli prime minister added.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described it as "concerning" and called it "a good thing" that Trump is safe.

Everyone wants the democratic process to be peaceful and orderly," he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a post on X, said he is relieved to hear Trump is "safe and unharmed".

"This is our principle: the rule of law is paramount and political violence has no place anywhere in the world," Zelenskyy said.

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has long been an admirer of Trump, wrote about the X: "It is clear that until he wins, the life of the former president Trump hangs by a thread."

Sunday's incident marked the latest jarring moment in the life of the former president, coming after the July 13 botched assassination attempt on Trump when a bullet grazed his ear while he was speaking at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

The latest attack spawned new questions about Secret Service protective operations following the agency's admitted failures in preventing the attempted assassination this summer.

It was unclear whether the development would impact Trump's campaign as he prepared to speak from Florida about cryptocurrency on Monday night on the social media site.

Trump has had a stepped-up security footprint since the July assassination attempt.

Former presidents and their spouses receive lifetime Secret Service protection, but the security surrounding former presidents is determined by threat levels and exposure, with the highest measures generally put into place immediately after leaving office.

Mr. Trump's protective detail has been higher than some other former presidents because of his high visibility and his campaign to seek the White House again.