Attack on Donald Trump: A history of assassination attempts on US presidents

Former US president Donald Trump was attacked at a campaign rally on Saturday as multiple shots were fired at him in Butler Town, Pennsylvania. 

Trump sustained an injury to his ear, but he is reported to be safe. 

The incident took place two days prior to his nomination as the presidential candidate by the Republican National Convention. 

The recent attack on Trump reflects the long history of assassination attempts on previous US presidents and presidential candidates.

Let's take a brief look at US presidents who are attacked:

Andrew Jackson — 1835

The seventh US president, Andrew Jackson, was attacked in 1835 by Richard Lawrence outside the Capitol Building, but both of his pistols misfired. This made him the first person to attempt assassinating a US president.

Abraham Lincoln — 1865

In 1865, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wikes Booth while he was attending a performance at Ford’s theatre in Washington, DC. 

He previously escaped assassination attempt in 1864. 

James A Garfield — 1881

Charles Guiteau, a frustrated office seeker, attacked James A Garfield twice in 1881 at a train station in Washington, DC. The 20th US President was injured so badly that he had to suffer for months and died in 1881.

William McKinley — 1901

William McKinley was shot at twice by an anarchist named Leon Czolgosz during a public event in Buffalo, New York, in 1901. 

Franklin D Roosevelt — 1933

An Italian immigrant, Giuseppe Zangara, fired shots at Franklin D Roosevelt’s car but missed the shot.

Harry S Truman — 1950

Moreover, in 1950, two Puerto Rican nationalists attempted to assassinate the 33rd president, Harry S Truman. 

John F Kennedy — 1963

John F Kennedy was struck in the back and head on November 22, 1963, in Dellas, Texas.

Gerald Ford — 1975

President Gerald Ford faced two assassination attempts in 1975; both were by women. 

Ronald Reagan — 1981

The 40th president of the US, Ronald Reagan was wounded outside a Washington hotel by John Hinckley Jr.

Bill Clinton — 1994

In 1994, Bill Clinton faced an attack when Francisco Martin Duran fired shots at the White House. 

George W Bush — 2005

In 2005, during a speech in Tbilisi, Georgia, a grenade was thrown at George W Bush, but it failed to explode.