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Congressional task force requests Secret Service briefing

By Tara Suter - 9/16/24, 8:58 AM EDT

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The heads of a congressional task force said Sunday they had requested a briefing from the Secret Service in the wake of another apparent assassination attempt against former President Trump.

"The Task Force is monitoring this attempted assassination of former President Trump in West Palm Beach this afternoon,” Reps. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) and Jason Crow (D-Colo.) said in a statement. “We have requested a briefing with the U.S. Secret Service about what happened and how security responded.”

Kelly and Crow lead a task force created to investigate the July assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pa.

“We are thankful that the former President was not harmed, but remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in all of its forms,” the House members continued. “The Task Force will share updates as we learn more."

Trump was playing golf Sunday at his course in West Palm Beach, Fla., when another attempt on his life was made. Authorities in Florida said a Secret Service agent saw a rifle barrel sticking through a golf course fence. The agent fired shots, and a man dropped an AK-style rifle with a scope and fled in an SUV, officials added.

Law enforcement said authorities apprehended a man in Martin County in a vehicle that matched a witness’s description.

NewsNation, The Hill’s sister network, reported the suspect in the apparent assassination attempt is a white male named Ryan Wesley Routh.

Trump later thanked law enforcement in a post on Truth Social for what he called an “incredible job.”

“I would like to thank everyone for your concern and well wishes – It was certainly an interesting day!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

“Most importantly, I want to thank the U.S. Secret Service, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and his Office of brave and dedicated Patriots, and, all of Law Enforcement, for the incredible job done today at Trump International in keeping me, as the 45th President of the United States, and the Republican Nominee in the upcoming Presidential Election, SAFE. THE JOB DONE WAS ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING. I AM VERY PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!”

The Hill has reached out to the Secret Service.

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