Donald Trump said he was uncertain “how long I’ll be around” after an armed intruder was shot dead while breaching the security perimeter of Mar-a-Lago, marking his first public remarks since the confrontation with US Secret Service agents. Mixing gallows humor with historical comparison, Trump invoked the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy as he reflected on the latest security scare.
“I don’t know how long I’ll be around. I’ve got a lot of people gunning for me, don’t I?” Trump said, responding to questions about the incident at his Florida estate.
Mar-a-Lago Security Breach: Armed Intruder Shot Dead
The shooting episode unfolded on Sunday (local time) when a man was observed near the north gate of Mar-a-Lago carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel canister.
According to authorities, the individual drove through the estate’s north entrance in a 2013 silver Volkswagen Tiguan before being confronted by two Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy.
Martin walked up to the secure perimeter at Mar-a-Lago early Sunday and went through a gate when it opened for employees to leave, a US Secret Service spokesperson said Monday.
Martin dropped a gas can and raised a shotgun at two Secret Service agents and a Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputy who then opened fire “to neutralize the threat,” said Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.
Trump, who often spends weekends at the Palm Beach, Florida, resort, was at the White House at the time.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the suspect raised the shotgun toward officers and was “quickly neutralised.” He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officials later identified the intruder as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin of North Carolina. A weapon box was recovered from inside his vehicle. Family members had previously reported him missing and confirmed that the vehicle belonged to him. Reports indicated he had recently become fixated on the administration’s handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
The 21-year-old North Carolina man reportedly worked as a golf course groundskeeper and liked to sketch. Austin Tucker Martin rarely, if ever, talked about politics, seemed afraid of guns, and came from a family of Trump supporters, according to Braeden Fields, a cousin who said the two grew up together.
Trump Reflects on Assassination Attempts and ‘Consequential Presidents’
US president Donald Trump, who survived two separate assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign, blended levity with pointed commentary when addressing the breach.
“You read about all these crazy shooters, but they only go after consequential presidents,” he said. “They don’t go after non-consequential presidents.”
President Trump referenced two assassinated US leaders — Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy — adding, “They were consequential.”
At one point, Trump appeared to temper the bravado with irony. “So maybe I want to be a little bit less consequential. Can we hold it back a little bit?” he said, before joking, “Let’s be a normal president for a little while.”
Secret Service Response to Mar-a-Lago shooting
The Secret Service has not indicated any broader conspiracy linked to the breach. The incident nevertheless underscores heightened security concerns surrounding Trump, particularly in light of previous attempts on his life during the 2024 campaign cycle.
The estate, long a focal point of political gatherings and diplomatic engagements, remains under heavy federal protection. Sunday’s confrontation is likely to prompt renewed scrutiny of perimeter safeguards and rapid-response protocols at high-profile presidential residences.
