West Palm Beach, Florida – U.S. Secret Service agents shot and killed a man attempting to enter the secure perimeter of President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort early Sunday morning, according to a statement from the agency. The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. EST (0630 GMT) at the resort’s north gate.
The man, described as being in his 20s, was carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can, the Secret Service said. His intentions remain unclear.
President Trump was not at Mar-a-Lago at the time of the shooting, having spent Saturday evening hosting state governors at the White House as reported by the Fresh York Times. The White House has not yet issued a public statement regarding the incident.
The shooting comes amid a marked increase in political violence in the United States. In 2024, President Trump faced two separate assassination attempts, including one at his golf course in West Palm Beach. The following year, 2025, saw the assassinations of both Minnesota state lawmaker Melissa Hortman, along with her husband, in June, and conservative activist Charlie Kirk later in the year.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, speaking to Fox News, stated that he had spoken with President Trump and that the President and his family were safe. Bessent also asserted that security around the President was stronger than it had been at the time of the 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, and blamed “the left” for normalizing political violence, according to the BBC.
The Secret Service has not released the identity of the man shot, and an investigation is underway. The agency has not commented on whether the suspect made any statements or engaged with agents prior to the shooting.
This incident raises further questions about the escalating security challenges facing high-profile political figures in the U.S., and the potential for politically motivated violence. The investigation continues, with authorities seeking to determine the suspect’s motives and any potential connections to extremist groups.
