The office of the U.S. President, symbolising immense power and influence, has tragically been a target for violence throughout history.
Assassination attempts stem from various motives, including political ideologies, personal grievances, and societal tensions.
Recently, former President Donald Trump joined the list of presidents who survived attempts on their lives, when shots were fired during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
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Here are 8 US Presidents who were killed or survived assassination attempts
Four U.S. presidents were assassinated while in office.
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth in 1865 at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. On April 14, 1865, during a performance of “Our American Cousin,” John Wilkes Booth, a well-known actor and Confederate sympathizer, shot President Lincoln in the head. Lincoln was taken to a nearby boarding house where he died the following day. This assassination occurred just days after the end of the Civil War, marking a tragic moment in American history.
James A. Garfield
James A. Garfield was shot in 1881 at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington, D.C. by Charles J. Guiteau, a disillusioned office seeker. President Garfield was shot on July 2, 1881, and succumbed to his wounds after enduring severe infections and poor medical treatment for two and a half months. He died on September 19, 1881.
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William McKinley
William McKinley, the 25th President of the United States was assassinated in 1901 by Leon Czolgosz, an anarchist, in Buffalo, New York. On September 6, 1901, during a public meet-and-greet at the Pan-American Exposition, anarchist Leon Czolgosz shot President McKinley twice in the abdomen. McKinley initially appeared to recover but later died of gangrene caused by his wounds on September 14, 1901.
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald in 1963 in Dallas, Texas. On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy was shot while riding in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza in Dallas. The nation was plunged into mourning as Kennedy was pronounced dead shortly after the shooting. Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested for the crime but was killed two days later by nightclub owner Jack Ruby.
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Four U.S leaders who survived assassination attempts
Donald Trump
On Saturday, July 13, 2024, former President Donald Trump was wounded in an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a shooter, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, fired multiple shots from a nearby rooftop, hitting Trump in the ear and prompting Secret Service agents to rush him to safety amidst the chaos.
Ronald Reagan
On March 30, 1981, President Ronald Reagan was shot by John Hinckley Jr. outside the Washington Hilton. Hinckley, obsessed with actress Jodie Foster, believed the attack would impress her. A ricocheting bullet hit Reagan, breaking a rib, puncturing a lung, and causing serious internal bleeding. Near-death upon arrival at George Washington University Hospital, Reagan was stabilized and underwent emergency surgery. He recovered and was released on April 11.
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Gerald Ford
President Gerald Ford faced two assassination attempts in September 1975, first by Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, who pointed a loaded pistol at him in Sacramento but the weapon did not fire, and 17 days later by Sara Jane Moore, who fired at him in San Francisco but missed due to the intervention of bystander Oliver Sipple; in both instances, Ford remained unharmed and the assailants were apprehended.
Theodore Roosevelt
On October 14, 1912, John Schrank attempted to assassinate former President Theodore Roosevelt during a campaign in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The bullet lodged in Roosevelt’s chest after piercing his steel eyeglass case and a 50-page copy of his speech, “Progressive Cause Greater Than Any Individual,” in his jacket pocket. Schrank was quickly disarmed and captured. Roosevelt calmed the crowd, urging them not to harm Schrank, and instructed the police to ensure his safety.
Other assassination attempts on other U.S. leaders
In 1968, U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated at the age of 42 by a gunman at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Similarly, Alabama Governor George C. Wallace was shot in 1972 and left paralyzed from the waist down.
