Donald Trump assassination attempt: What you need to know about the golf course shooting

Donald Trump has survived a second apparent assassination attempt.

The former US President was on the links of his Florida golf course, Trump International Golf Club, with his golfing partner Steve Witkoff on Sunday afternoon, local time (Monday morning AEST), when shots rang out.

Secret Service agents were clearing holes ahead of where the men were playing when they spotted a rifle barrel in the bushes near the property line of the West Palm Beach golf course and opened fire.

The alleged gunman, identified as Ryan Wesley Routh, fled the scene but is now in custody.

Plenty of questions still remain. Here’s what you need to know.

Was anyone injured?

Authorities have not reported any injuries or casualties from the incident, and Mr Trump was reportedly in relatively high spirits afterwards.

He was quick to give different renditions of the episode to advisers and allies, the New York Times reports.

Fox News host Sean Hannity, a known friend of the former president, said he spoke with both Mr Trump and Mr Witkoff and relayed their dramatic accounts to his viewers on Sunday.

He said the pair were “about to go up to putt” on the fifth hole when four pops sounded and Secret Service agents “pounced on” Mr Trump to shield him from fire.

A steel-reinforced car then whisked him away from the scene.

Former White House doctor Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas said he called Mr Trump about two hours after the incident, but the former President joked that “he didn’t need my services today”.

Hannity said Trump told him he was most disappointed not to be able to finish the hole, since he was “even and had a birdie putt”.

Who is the suspected gunman?

Authorities have taken Ryan Wesley Routh into custody over the alleged assassination attempt.

He was allegedly hiding in bushes with a semiautomatic rifle and scope when agents spotted the barrel and opened fire.

Routh then fled the scene in a black car, but dropped his weapon, two backpacks and other items — including a GoPro camera.

He was arrested in a neighbouring county and taken into custody. No charges have been laid yet.

His motive is unclear, but the 58-year-old North Carolina expat, who moved to Hawaii in 2018, has been a vocal critic of Mr Trump (as well as current US President Joe Biden) on social media.

Routh was convicted in 2002 of possessing a weapon of mass destruction, according to North Carolina Department of Adult Correction online records.

What have the Democrats said?

The White House has released a statement from President Joe Biden on the assassination attempt.

“I am relieved that the former President is unharmed,” the statement said.

“As I have said many times, there is no place for political violence or for any violence ever in our country, and I have directed my team to continue to ensure that the Secret Service has every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure the former President’s continued safety.”

He praised the Secret Service and law enforcement officers for “their vigilance and their efforts to keep the former President and those around him safe.”

Vice President Kamala Harris, who is Mr Trump’s Democratic rival in the presidential race, echoed Mr Biden’s sentiment, writing on X: “Violence has no place in America.”

What has Trump and the Republicans said about the incident?

After the incident, an email was sent to Mr Trump’s fundraising list to ease any “rumours” and concerns.

The email, sighted by Reuters, said there were “gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumours start spiralling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL!”

Mr Trump’s running mate in the 2024 US election, JD Vance took to X to reiterate the former president was well and was “amazingly, in good spirits”.

How did this happen again?

Local authorities said Routh was hiding in bushes about 400 to 500 yards (between 274m and 457m) away from Mr Trump.

Palm Beach County Sherrif Ric Bradshaw said when people entered the shrubbery around the course, they were “pretty much out of sight”.

Mr Bradshaw said “security is limited to the areas the Secret Service deems possible” for the former president.

Despite Mr Trump’s security detail being boosted ahead of his second run for the White House — it was bolstered further days before the first attempt on his life in July — this is the second time a gunman has got within shooting distance of the Republican.

The leaders of a congressional bipartisan task force investigating the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump said they have requested a briefing from the Secret Service.

“We are thankful that the former President was not harmed, but remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in all of its forms,” Republican Representative Mike Kelly. and Democratic Representative Jason Crow said in a statement.

Floridian Democrat Jared Moskowitz, who is part of the task force, said he would “seek answers about what happened today and then”.