PALM BEACH, Florida – An armed man scaling the north gate of President Donald Trump’s “Winter White House” at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, was shot and killed by law enforcement early Sunday.
An armed man was shot & killed by U.S. Secret Service agents & @PBCountySheriff after unlawfully entering the secure perimeter at Mar-a-Lago early this morning. A press briefing with additional details will be held at 9:00 a.m with @FBI and Palm Beach County. pic.twitter.com/jAXhdb1xEL
— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) February 22, 2026
The president was not on the premises at the time.
“We want to be clear, the president of the United States was not in the state,” said Rafael Barros of the U.S. Secret Service during a morning news conference.
“U.S. Secret Service agents and a PBSO deputy confronted the individual and shots were fired by law enforcement during the encounter,” the Secret Service said. “No U.S. Secret Service or PBSO personnel were injured.”
“At 1:30 this morning, the security detail detected that an individual had made his way into the inner perimeter of Mar-a-Lago,” said Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw. “A deputy and two Secret Service agents on the detail went to that area to investigate.
“They confronted white male that was carrying a gas can and a shotgun. He was ordered to drop those two pieces of equipment that he had with him, at which time he put down the gas can, raised the shotgun to a shooting position.
“At that point in time, the deputy and the two Secret Service agents fired their weapons and neutralized the threat. He is deceased at the scene.”
WATCH:
Palm Beach County sheriff on man killed at Mar-a-Lago: "At 1:30 this morning, the security detail detected that an individual had made his way into the inner perimeter of Mar-a-Lago ... they confronted a white man that was carrying a gas can and a shotgun. He was ordered to drop… pic.twitter.com/U4VbA5rhy3
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 22, 2026
“That’s what we know now. The investigation continues,” Bradshaw said. “The FBI is the lead investigation agency on this case, and we will be assisting them in whatever manner they would like.”
Brett Skiles, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Miami field office, urged local residents: “If you live in the area of the shooting, please check your exterior cameras.”
This marks the third attempted assassination against Trump, who was actually struck by a bullet on his ear in Butler, Pennsylvania, while campaigning on July 13, 2024. The shooter, Thomas Crooks, was killed by authorities.
Ryan Routh was recently sentenced to life in prison for trying to kill Trump while golfing in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, 2024.
Former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, who was also a Secret Service agent for Presidents Clinton and Obama, told Fox News he was astonished at the number of threats Trump has had to face.
“The rhetoric against this poor guy who’s been shot in the ear, there have been multiple attempts on his life,” Bongino said. “I’ve never seen an anything like it. There is no precedent for it.”
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Maria Bartiromo of Fox News that he “just spoke with President Trump,” and the secretary praised the Secret Service for its actions.
“The Secret Service is running so much better now than it was in Butler [with] new leadership. And President Trump and his family, they’re safe but they shouldn’t have to endure [assassination] attempt after attempt,” Bessent said.
“This existential threat, this venom from the Left, really has to stop. They’ve normalized this violence.”
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