FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed Sunday that the Secret Service discovered a hunting stand with a direct line of sight to President Donald Trump as he exited Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport. The structure was found during routine security sweeps ahead of the President’s arrival.
In a post on X, Patel said, “USSS spotted a suspicious stand near the AF1 zone in Palm Beach… The FBI is investigating.” The hunting stand was unoccupied at the time of discovery. It was positioned to overlook the area where Trump routinely deplanes at the airport.
“The FBI has since taken the investigatory lead,” Patel added. Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the discovery was made during “advance security preparations.” He emphasized that while details about the object and its intended use remain unclear, the incident highlights the importance of the agency’s multi-layered protective strategies.
The timing of the discovery is significant. President Trump has already survived two known assassination attempts within the past year. On July 13, 2024, gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks shot Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The bullet pierced Trump’s upper right ear.
Just two months later, on September 15, 2024, Ryan Wesley Routh was arrested near Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach. A Secret Service agent spotted Routh’s AK-style rifle barrel protruding from the bushes. Routh was later convicted of attempted assassination.
This latest incident reinforces growing concerns about ongoing threats to Trump’s life, particularly as the 2024 election cycle intensifies. The President’s frequent travel and high visibility at public events continue to pose serious challenges for federal law enforcement and protective agencies.
The FBI has not yet released details about the origin of the hunting stand or how long it had been in place. Security measures in Palm Beach and around the airport have reportedly been heightened in response.
