By Mark Swanson |
Monday, 23 February 2026 10:49 PM EST
President Donald Trump on Monday publicly addressed the weekend shooting of an armed intruder at Mar-a-Lago, reflecting on the ongoing threats he faces and telling supporters, “Got a lot of people gunning for me, don’t I?”
The remarks came during an Angel Families event in the White House East Room, one day after Secret Service agents shot and killed a 21-year-old North Carolina man who allegedly breached the perimeter of Trump’s Palm Beach, Florida, residence.
Authorities identified the suspect as Austin Tucker Martin of Cameron, North Carolina.
According to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, Martin was discovered around 1:30 a.m. Sunday carrying a shotgun and a gas can.
He was “ordered to drop those two pieces of equipment that he had with him,” Bradshaw said during a Sunday press conference, “at which time he put down the gas can and raised the shotgun to a shooting position.”
Secret Service agents protecting the property opened fire and “neutralized the threat,” officials said.
Trump was not at Mar-a-Lago at the time. He and first lady Melania Trump had hosted a governors’ dinner at the White House the previous evening.
Speaking Monday, Trump noted that violent threats often target leaders who leave a mark on history.
“You read about all these crazy shooters, but they only go after consequential presidents,” Trump said. “They don’t go after nonconsequential presidents.”
Referencing Presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy, he added, “They were consequential.”
“So maybe I want to be a little bit less consequential,” he said, drawing laughter from the audience. “Nice and easy. Let’s be a normal president for a little while.”
Trump, who survived two assassination attempts during the 2024 campaign — including a July rally shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman grazed his ear and killed an attendee — acknowledged the reality of the dangers surrounding him.
“I don’t know how long I’ll be around,” he said.
Sunday’s incident occurred just miles from Trump’s West Palm Beach golf club, where another assassination attempt was thwarted months after the Butler incident.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
Politics
President Donald Trump on Monday publicly addressed the weekend shooting of an armed intruder at Mar-a-Lago, reflecting on the ongoing threats he faces and telling supporters, “Got a lot of people gunning for me, don’t I?”
donald trump, mar-a-lago, palm beach, shooting, intruder, secret service
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Monday, 23 February 2026 10:49 PM
2026-49-23
Monday, 23 February 2026 10:49 PM
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