From rally gunfire to White House shooting, threats against President Trump continue to mount

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Suspect identified after shooting near White House

Madeleine Rivera reports live from Washington, D.C., on the shooting incident near the White House where a gunman was killed after allegedly opening fire.Retired Secret Service agent Jeff James provides expert analysis on the incident during �Friends Weekend.’

Saturday’s shootout between the Secret Service and a deranged gunman near theWhite Housemarked the latest in a growing series of threats and security incidents involving President Donald Trump and senior administration officials, intensifying concerns about political violence.

As investigators continue piecing together the incident, authorities said Nasire Best, 21, of Maryland, approached a Secret Service checkpoint near 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW at about 6 p.m.local time, removed a weapon from his bag and opened fire on posted officers.

GUNMAN DEAD AFTER OPENING FIRE NEAR WHITE HOUSE CHECKPOINT, SECRET SERVICE SAYS

A 21-year-old man armed with a revolver was killed after exchanging gunfire with Secret Service agents near the White House gates, President Trump said.(Obtained by the New York Post)

According to a senior administration official with direct knowledge of the incident, Best — who allegedly hadprior encounters with the Secret Serviceand a history of mental health issues — fired about three shots toward the executive mansion before he was taken down by Secret Service agents.

The shooting comes just weeks after another armed suspect rushed the entry point of the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton hotel.

Authorities identified that suspect as 31-year-old Cole Allen, of Torrance, California, who traveled to the nation’s capital armed with multiple weapons and carrying a manifesto outlining his intent.Investigators also said Allen shared anti-Trump rhetoric on social media and allegedly expressed hostility toward Christians in online posts reviewed by law enforcement.

WHCD SHOOTING SUSPECT PLANNED TO TARGET TRUMP OFFICIALS, MANIFESTO REVEALS

Cole Allen allegedly ran past Secret Service agents in an attempt to assassinate President Donald Trump.(US Attorney Pirro)

According to investigators, Allen intended to target senior Trump administration officialsattending the annual eventbefore being stopped by law enforcement outside the Washington Hilton.

The alleged WHCA plot came less than two years after Trump survived two separate assassination attempts during the 2024 presidential campaign, incidents that dramatically reshaped security operations around the president and other top officials.

In July 2024, a gunman opened fire during a Trump rally in Butler,Pennsylvania, grazing Trump’s ear, killing one rally attendee and injuring others before Secret Service agents fatally shot the suspect.Federal investigators later described the shooting as one of the most serious security failures in decades.

TRUMP RALLY GUNMAN ACTED ALONE, FBI SAYS — BUT QUESTIONS ABOUT MOTIVE PERSIST

Just months later, an armed suspect was discoverednear Trump International Golf Clubin West Palm Beach, Florida, in what investigators described as a second assassination attempt.Prosecutors alleged the suspect had positioned himself near the course with a rifle before being spotted by Secret Service agents.

The heightened security posture has continued since those incidents.

In February, Secret Service agents fatally shot a 21-year-old man carrying a shotgun and gas canister outside Mar-a-Lago while Trump was in Washington.The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m.when the suspect made an “unauthorized entry” through the north gate of the resort as another vehicle was exiting.The man was identified as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin of North Carolina.

Beyond those incidents, federal officials have repeatedly warned about a broader rise in threats targeting Trump and current and former administration officials, including dangers linked to extremist rhetoric, online radicalization and foreign adversaries such as Iran.

SUSPECT IDENTIFIED AFTER FATAL SHOOTING AT TRUMP’S MAR-A-LAGO ESTATE: OFFICIALS

An aerial view of President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.

President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on Aug.10, 2022.(Steve Helber/AP)

Security concerns have also extended beyond Trump himself, with repeated swatting incidents, online death threats and increased protection measures for judges, prosecutors, and public officials connected to politically charged investigations and events.

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Taken together, the incidents have heightened concerns insidefederal law enforcementand the intelligence community about the escalating risk of political violence ahead of another contentious election cycle.