Trump is the target: A decade of threats, plots, and close calls for America's President

On the night of April 25, 2026, shots rang out at one of Washington’s most high-profile gatherings: the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, forcing the evacuation of US President Donald Trump and hundreds of guests, underscoring a stark reality: after nearly a decade of escalating threats, he remains a persistent target.

A gunman armed with multiple weapons opened fire near a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton, wounding a Secret Service agent protected by a bulletproof vest before being subdued. Investigators say the suspect appeared to be targeting Trump and senior officials, including US Vice President JD Vance, and could face attempted assassination charges.

Also read: ‘When you’re impactful, they go after you’: Trump casts White House dinner shooting as proof of his power


The incident, less than two years after Trump survived a rally shooting, has renewed focus on a long trail of threats that began during his first presidential campaign.

The pattern begins: 2016 campaign chaos

The earliest incidents date to 2016, when Trump’s rallies became flashpoints.

In March, a man in Dayton, Ohio attempted to break through police barricades and rush the stage before being arrested. Three months later, in Las Vegas, another man tried to grab a police officer’s pistol during a Trump speech and later confessed he intended to kill him.

These incidents marked the beginning of a volatile security environment around a presidential candidate.

From disruptions to plotted attacks

After Trump took office, threats became more varied.

In September 2017, in Mandan, North Dakota, a man stole a forklift and attempted to drive it toward the presidential motorcade before being arrested.
In October 2018, an envelope containing castor beans—used in producing ricin—was sent to Trump. A US Navy veteran was arrested in the case.

By 2020, similar methods resurfaced. In September, a Canadian national sent a ricin-laced letter to Trump, urging him to drop out of the presidential election; she was later arrested. A month earlier, in August, Trump was abruptly escorted from a White House press briefing after an armed suspect was shot outside the White House fencing.

2024: escalation into direct violence

After years of threats and disrupted plots, 2024 marked a turning point.

In July, US authorities arrested Asif Merchant in Houston, accusing him of attempting to recruit individuals to help assassinate Trump, allegedly on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Days later came the most serious attack. At a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, a gunman fired eight shots toward Trump, with one bullet grazing his right ear. The shooter was killed at the scene.

In September 2024, another man wielding a rifle was spotted at Trump International Golf Club in Florida while Trump was present. He was later arrested and sentenced to life in prison.

Also read: Trump safe after shots fired at White House correspondents dinner, shooter in custody

Persistent threats in the background

Beyond high-profile incidents, threats continued in smaller but consistent forms.

In May 2025, an ICE officer reported receiving a handwritten letter from someone claiming to be a Mexican immigrant, threatening to shoot Trump at an upcoming rally.

In August 2025, another individual was arrested in Washington, DC, and charged with making violent threats against him.

In October 2025, Secret Service agents discovered an elevated hunting stand near Palm Beach airport with a direct line of sight toward an area where Air Force One had been parked—raising concerns about surveillance and premeditated targeting.

2026: heightened risk, closer breaches

The pattern has continued into 2026.

In February, Secret Service agents shot and killed a man reportedly carrying a shotgun and a gas canister after he entered the grounds of Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s private residence in Florida.

In March, a civilian aircraft was intercepted after violating restricted airspace over Mar-a-Lago.

Weeks later, the April 2026 shooting at the White House Correspondents’ dinner marked the most visible breach yet: gunfire at an event attended by the president, senior officials and the press corps.

Nearly a decade after the first barricade breach in Ohio, the pattern is consistent: the threats have persisted, diversified and, at times, come dangerously close.