Donald Trump is the 13th American president, former president, or presidential candidate to have faced an assassination attempt. In American history, four presidents have been assassinated, while five others have survived assassination attempts. Additionally, before Trump, three presidential candidates had also faced deadly attacks.
Abraham Lincoln
The tragic tale of American presidential assassinations began on April 14, 1865, with Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. He was enjoying a play, 'Our American Cousin,' at Ford's Theatre in Washington. Seated in a balcony, Lincoln was unguarded as his bodyguard, John Parker, had stepped out during the intermission. At around 10:15 PM, John Wilkes Booth, a well-known actor, shot Lincoln in the head from behind. Despite being rushed to the hospital, Lincoln was declared dead the next day.
The assassin, Booth, was a professional theater artist who was killed ten days later in a standoff with U.S. soldiers. But why was Lincoln targeted? In the 19th century, slavery was rampant in America, with white people buying and forcing black people into servitude. Lincoln was an outspoken opponent of this practice and campaigned tirelessly against it. In 1863, as president, he declared the practice illegal, angering many who wanted to preserve slavery. This led to the American Civil War and, eventually, to Booth's deadly act.
James Abraham Garfield
James A. Garfield was the second American president to be assassinated. On July 2, 1881, just four months into his term, Garfield was at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington D.C., preparing to board a train to New England for a speech at Williams College. Suddenly, he was shot by Charles Guiteau.
Despite doctors' efforts to remove the bullet lodged in his chest over several weeks, Garfield succumbed to his injuries on September 19, 1881. Guiteau, who was affiliated with politics but never achieved significant success, believed Garfield's election victory was due to his campaign speeches and felt entitled to a diplomatic position. When this did not materialize, he shot Garfield. A year later, Guiteau was executed.
William McKinley
The 25th president of the United States, William McKinley, was assassinated on September 6, 1901, during an event in Buffalo, New York. Despite warnings from his secretary about potential dangers, McKinley refused additional security. While greeting the public, he was shot twice by Leon Czolgosz.
Czolgosz had lost his job during an economic depression and blamed political leaders for the country's troubles. He believed assassinating the president would bring change. Czolgosz was executed via electric chair on October 29, 1901.
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy was the fourth American president to be assassinated. On November 22, 1963, while campaigning for re-election, Kennedy was in Dallas, Texas. Amidst a lively crowd, Kennedy and his wife sat in a convertible when two fatal shots were fired—one hitting his head and the other his neck.
He was immediately taken to the hospital, but doctors pronounced him dead. A former soldier named Oswald was arrested for Kennedy's murder. However, two days later, he was killed by a Kennedy supporter. Various theories surround Kennedy's assassination, keeping the reasons shrouded in mystery until today.
