Again, a Gunman Got Perilously Close to Trump

Trump assassination attempt: Gunman breaches Mar-a-Lago perimeter with rifle

Muhammad Asghar | GlobalBeat

A Secret Service agent shot and wounded an armed intruder who scaled Mar-a-Lago’s perimeter wall late Monday while President Trump slept inside the Florida estate.

The gunman carried an AR-style rifle and spare magazines, according to federal prosecutors who charged 21-year-old Florida resident Xavier Jackson with attempted assassination early Tuesday.

This marks the second attempt on Trump’s life in seven months and the closest any would-be assassin has reached the former president since a Pennsylvania rally shooting last July. The Secret Service detected the breach at 11:42 p.m., triggering an immediate lockdown of the 126-room mansion.

Trump survived that earlier attempt by centimeters when a bullet grazed his ear during a Butler, Pennsylvania campaign speech. The latest incident raises urgent questions about protection protocols less than four months into Trump’s second term, as the agency operates under his newly-appointed director Sean Curran.

“At no time was the protectee in immediate danger,” Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told reporters outside Mar-a-Lago. The gunman never penetrated the inner security ring, he said, though agents confronted him roughly 500 feet from Trump’s residence.

Federal investigators traced Jackson’s movements through security cameras that captured him parking a Honda Civic near the Palm Beach property shortly before midnight. He scaled the west perimeter wall using a rope ladder, barely avoiding barbed wire that rings portions of the estate.

“This was sophisticated planning,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Lopez said during Tuesday’s detention hearing. Jackson carried night-vision goggles, zip ties and a handwritten note referencing “stopping the tyrant,” according to court documents.

The breach triggered a 17-minute lockdown while agents swept the compound’s manicured grounds. Trump tweeted at 12:19 a.m. that he was “working hard for the American people even at midnight” but made no mention of the incident until aides briefed him, three staff members told reporters.

West Palm Beach police had encountered Jackson twice in recent weeks, according to incident reports obtained by GlobalBeat. Officers questioned him near Trump’s golf course on March 30 and again at a nearby supermarket April 15, noting his vehicle information but finding no reason to detain him.

“These types of repeated appearances are classic pre-attack behavior,” said former Secret Service agent Evelyn Roberts, who protected three presidents. The agency typically expands protective intelligence investigations when individuals show up multiple times at presidential venues.

Jackson faces a federal charge of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, which carries a maximum life sentence. Prosecutors say additional charges are likely as investigators examine his digital footprint and possible co-conspirators.

The incident sparked immediate political reactions across Washington. House Speaker Mike Johnson demanded classified briefings “to understand how another assassin reached the gates,” while Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called for renewed civility in political discourse.

Trump’s political opponents struck a different tone. “There’s no place for violence in our democracy, period,” Democratic National Committee chairman Ken Martin said in a statement. Several 2028 presidential hopefuls echoed that message, though some Republicans accused Democrats of stirring animosity against the president.

Security experts note the unique challenges protecting a president who maintains both a private residence and active business properties. Mar-a-Lago operates as a members-only club with regular social events, complicating traditional security perimeters.

“Every dinner, fundraiser or wedding creates vulnerabilities,” Roberts said. The club hosted 94 large events in 2025 including weddings, charity galas and political dinners, according to local permit records.

The Secret Service has requested $60 million in additional funding for Trump’s protection through September, citing increased travel and multiple permanent residences. Congress approved similar supplemental funding during Trump’s first term as protection costs soared above $40 million annually.

Background

Monday’s incident represents the eighth major security breach at Mar-a-Lago since Trump took office in 2017, though previous intruders carried no weapons. The estate’s oceanfront location complicates protection, as boats can approach within 300 yards before encountering Coast Guard vessels.

Trump’s unconventional lifestyle has long challenged his protectors. He frequently deviates from planned routes for impromptu restaurant stops or golf course visits, according to former agents who spoke on condition of anonymity. The Pennsylvania shooter gathered rally security details from public social media posts, investigators later determined.

What’s Next

Jackson remains held without bond pending a May 5 preliminary hearing. The Secret Service will conduct its own internal review while Congress has scheduled emergency oversight hearings for next week. Trump plans to continue campaigning for 2026 midterm candidates, with rallies planned in Ohio and Wisconsin this weekend.

Secret Service Director Curran faces mounting pressure to demonstrate his agency can protect the president while accommodating Trump’s preference for public appearances. The agency has requested deployment of military-grade surveillance equipment at Trump’s properties, though Pentagon officials have expressed concerns about domestic military involvement.