Former President Donald Trump claimed that overheated rhetoric from Democrats was responsible for an apparent assassination attempt on him on Sunday. However, records show that threats against presidents or those in line of presidential succession have been a recurring issue for decades.
An examination of Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) reveals that since 1986, the federal government has prosecuted 1,444 cases of threats against presidents or others in the line of presidential succession. The highest number of prosecutions in a single year was 73 in 1987 during the Reagan administration.
During the George W. Bush administration, there were 72 cases brought in 2002, with a total of 383 cases over the eight-year span. The number of cases brought during Bill Clinton's presidency was 343, and during Barack Obama's two terms, there were 213 cases. In Trump's first term, 68 cases were brought. Reagan had 200 cases in the last three years of his presidency, and George H.W. Bush had 213 cases during his one term.
The number of convictions was highest during the George W. Bush and Clinton years. TRAC, a database research tool established in the 1980s, provides government data obtained through federal open records laws and court litigation.
Former President Trump, as a former president and presidential candidate, falls under statutes pertaining to threats or attacks. Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, has been charged with possessing a firearm despite a prior felony conviction and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number in connection with the recent incident.
Authorities are investigating Routh's potential motive and movements leading up to the incident. A Secret Service agent spotted a firearm on the West Palm Beach golf course where Trump was playing, leading to the agent firing at Routh, who then fled the scene.
While the attempt on Trump is unique due to his status as a former president seeking re-election, historical instances of violence against presidents include the shooting of Teddy Roosevelt in 1912 while campaigning in Milwaukee and the assassination attempts on Reagan and Ford.
Notable incidents not included in TRAC data include the 1982 shooting of Reagan, two attempts on Ford's life in 1975, and a grenade incident involving George W. Bush in 2005. Clinton also faced an assassination attempt in 1994 when Francisco Martin Duran fired at the White House.
Violence against political figures is not a new phenomenon in the United States, as highlighted by various historical events. Earlier this year, a New Hampshire man charged with threatening Republican candidates was found dead during his trial deliberations.
