WE CERTAINLY ECHO THAT.
WHITE HOUSE REPORTER FOR
"BLOOMBERG," AKAIYLA GARDNER.
THANK YOU, AS ALWAYS.
THANK YOU FOR GETTING UP "WAY
TOO EARLY" ON THIS MONDAY
MORNING.
"MORNING JOE" STARTS RIGHT NOW.
>>> WELL, YOU HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND, THE GOLF COURSE IS
SURROUNDED BY SCRUB RYHRUBBERY.
WHEN SOMEONE IS THERE, THEY'RE
OUT OF SIGHT.
AT THIS LEVEL, HE IS NOT THE
SITTING PRESIDENT.
IF HE WAS, WE WOULD HAVE HAD
THIS ENTIRE GOLF COURSE
SURROUNDED.
BECAUSE HE'S NOT, SECURITY IS
LIMITED TO THE AREAS THAT THE
SECRET SERVICE DEEMS POSSIBLE.
>> THE SHERIFF IN PALM BEACH
COUNTY, FLORIDA, YESTERDAY,
DESCRIBING THE SECURITY
SITUATION AT DONALD TRUMP'S GOLF
COURSE AFTER AN APPARENT
ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON THE
FORMER PRESIDENT.
THIS MORNING, THERE ARE STILL A
LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
SUSPECT, HIS PAST, AND WHETHER
THE SECRET SERVICE IS DOING
ENOUGH TO PROTECT DONALD TRUMP.
WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF
THAT.
FOR NOW, THE FORMER PRESIDENT
HAS NOT MADE ANY CHANGES TO HIS
CAMPAIGN SCHEDULE.
MEANWHILE, HIS RUNNING MATE MADE
THE ROUNDS ON THE SUNDAY SHOWS,
DEFENDING HIS AND TRUMP'S FALSE
CLAIMS ABOUT MIGRANTS IN
SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.
WE'LL PLAY FOR YOU THOSE NEW
COMMENTS, INCLUDING JD VANCE
SEEMING TO ADMIT THE STORIES ARE
MADE UP.
>>> ALSO AHEAD, NEW POLLING
SHOWS THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S
LEAD IS SHRINKING SIGNIFICANTLY
IN A STATE HE'S EASILY WON IN
2016 AND 2020.
IT COMES AS MORE REPUBLICANS ARE
PLEDGING THEIR SUPPORT FOR VICE
PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS THIS
FALL.
WE'LL READ FOR YOU WHAT A GROUP
OF FORMER STAFFERS FROM
PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN ARE
SAYING.
>>> GOOD MORNING.
WELCOME TO "MORNING JOE."
IT IS MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16th.
A MAN IS IN CUSTODY THIS MORNING
AFTER SHOTS WERE FIRED IN WHAT
THE FBI IS CALLING AN APPARENT
ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF
DONALD TRUMP AT HIS GOLF COURSE
IN WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA,
YESTERDAY.
>> THE SHOTS WERE FIRED, BY ALL
REPORTS, FROM THE SECRET SERVICE
TOWARD THE MAN.
>> THE FORMER PRESIDENT POSTED
ON SOCIAL MEDIA LAST NIGHT THAT
HE WAS RUSHED TO SAFETY DURING
THE INCIDENT, STATING, QUOTE, IT
WAS CERTAINLY AN INTERESTING
DAY.
HE ALSO THANKED SECRET SERVICE
AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, WRITING IN
ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, QUOTE, "THE
JOB WAS DONE.
ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING."
TRUMP WAS PLAYING A ROUND OF
GOLF IN HIS MAR-A-LAGO COURSE
AROUND 2:00 P.M. WHEN SECRET
SERVICE AGENTS SPOTTED A RIFLE
WITH A SCOPE IN THE BUSHES
OUTSIDE THE COURSE.
>> THEY SPOTTED IT.
WHAT HAPPENS IS, THE GOLF
COURSE, FOR THOSE WHO KNOW THE
AREA, THE GOLF COURSE IS ON TWO
VERY ACTIVE STREETS.
THERE'S A HUGE PERIMETER.
WHAT THE SECRET SERVICE DO, NOT
ONLY NOW BUT WHEN DONALD TRUMP
WAS PRESIDENT, THEY WOULD
ADVANCE THE HOLES AND WOULD GO A
COUPLE OF HOLES AHEAD OF THE
PRESIDENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
COAST WAS CLEAR.
AS YOU'LL HEAR HERE, EVEN THOUGH
SOME OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE
WASN'T AS CLEAR AS IT SHOULD
HAVE BEEN, LEFT SOME QUESTIONS
OPEN, WHAT HAPPENED WAS, THE
SECRET SERVICE WENT A COUPLE OF
HOLES AHEAD OF THE PRESIDENT,
FORMER PRESIDENT, AND THEY SAW A
RIFLE STICKING OUT.
THEY FIRED SHOTS, AND THEN THE
MAN RAN AWAY.
HE GOT CAUGHT SOON AFTER.
BUT THE SECRET SERVICE, THOUGH,
DID AS HORRIBLE OF A JOB AS THEY
DID IN BUTLER.
AS LINDSEY GRAHAM SAID, THEY'RE
OVERWORKED.
THEY'RE EXHAUSTED.
THEY DON'T HAVE A LIFE OF THEIR
OWN.
THEY NEED MORE RERESOURCES.
YES, THEY DO NEED MORE
RESOURCES.
IN THIS CASE, THOUGH, AS DONALD
TRUMP SAID, THEY DID AN
OUTSTANDING JOB.
SOMETHING I HAVEN'T SAID OF THE
SECRET SERVICE CERTAINLY AFTER
BUTLER IN A VERY LONG TIME.
>> TAKE A LISTEN.
>> FORTUNATELY, WE WERE ABLE TO
LOCATE A WITNESS THAT CAME TO US
AND SAID, "HEY, I SAW THE GUY
RUNNING OUT OF THE BUSHES.
HE JUMPED INTO A BLACK NISSAN,
AND I TOOK A PICTURE OF THE
VEHICLE AND THE TAG."
WHICH WAS GREAT.
IN THE BUSHES WHERE THIS GUY WAS
IS AN AK-47 STYLE RIFLE WITH A
SCOPE, TWO PACKBACKPACKS THAT HA
CERAMIC TILE, AND A GOPRO, WHICH
HE WAS GOING TO TAKE PICTURES
OF.
>> THE TIP FROM THE WITNESS
HELPED LEAD TO AN ARREST.
THE MAN WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY
AND WAS IDENTIFIED AS
58-YEAR-OLD RYAN WESLEY RUTH,
ACCORDING TO THREE SENIOR LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS.
HIS IDENTITY WAS NOT RELEASED
DURING YESTERDAY'S NEWS
CONFERENCE.
DONALD TRUMP LEFT IN A MOTORCADE
A COUPLE HOURS LATER AND HEADED
BACK TO HIS MAR-A-LAGO RESORT,
ACCORDING TO A SOURCE FAMILIAR
WITH THE MATTER.
IT WILL NOT AFFECT TRUMP'S
CAMPAIGN SCHEDULE, INCLUDING
STOPS IN MICHIGAN, NORTH
CAROLINA, NEW YORK, AND
WASHINGTON, D.C.
VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS
RELEASED A STATEMENT THAT SHE
WAS, QUOTE, DEEPLY DISTURBED BY
THE POSSIBLE ASSASSINATION
ATTEMPT OF FORMER PRESIDENT
TRUMP TODAY.
ADDING, SHE IS THANKFUL TRUMP IS
SAFE.
THE INCIDENT OCCURRED TWO MONTHS
AFTER AN ATTEMPT ON THE FORMER
PRESIDENT'S LIFE IN JULY AT A
CAMPAIGN RALLY IN PENNSYLVANIA.
LET'S BRING IN NBC NEWS NATIONAL
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE
CORRESPONDENT TOM WINTER.
ALSO WITH US, THE HOST OF "WAY
TOO EARLY," WHITE HOUSE BUREAU
CHIEF AT "POLITICO," JONATHAN
LEMIRE.
PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ACTION
NETWORK AND HOST OF MSNBC'S
"POLITICS NATION," REVEREND AL
SHARPTON.
>> TOM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
BEING WITH US.
A COUPLE QUESTIONS JUST TO MAKE
SURE EVERYBODY THAT'S TUNING IN
THIS MORNING HAS IT CLEAR.
THE SECRET SERVICE GOING A
COUPLE OF HOLES AHEAD OF THE PRESIDENT, AS THEY DO, THEY KEEP
A PROTECTIVE DOUBLE AROUND HIM.
AT THIS POINT, THEY KEPT A
PROTECTIVE BUBBLE AROUND, SAW A
GUN STICKING OUT OF THE BUSHES.
THE GUY WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE PERIMETER.
HE WAS NOT OPTN THE GOLF COURSE,
IS THAT RIGHT?
HE WAS OUTSIDE THE FENCE, RIGHT?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> BEFORE HE FIRED ANY SHOTS, I
GUESS HE MAY HAVE BEEN GETTING
SET UP, THAT'S WHEN THE SECRET
SERVICE FIRED SHOTS AT HIM,
RIGHT?
>> EXACTLY RIGHT, JOE.
IT'S STILL UNCLEAR WHETHER OR
NOT HE WAS ABLE TO GET OFF A
SHOT OR NOT.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY INDICATION OF
THAT.
THERE WERE INITIAL POINTS.
EITHER WAY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
DIRECTED AT THE SECRET SERVICE
AND NOT AGAINST THE FORMER
PRESIDENT, REPUBLICAN NOMINEE.
TO YOUR POINT, YES, IT DOES SEEM
LIKE THE PLAN HERE WORKED.
HE IS NOT, DONALD TRUMP, IS NOT
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES.
IF HE WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES, THAT STREET WOULD
HAVE BEEN BLOCKED OFF.
THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN ADDITIONAL
AGENTS AHEAD OF WHERE THE
PRESIDENT WAS.
AGAIN, IF TRUMP WAS, IN FACT,
THE PRESIDENT AT THE TIME, OR IF
IT WAS JOE BIDEN GOLFING ON THAT
GOLF COURSE, FOR INSTANCE, IN
THAT STREET WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL
APEARS
APPEARS TO HAVE SET UP.
THERE ARE BUSY STREETS THAT
FLANK THIS COURSE, AND THE
STREET WOULD HAVE BEEN BLOCKED
OFF, THAT PERSON WOULD HAVE HAD
A HARD TIME GETTING TO THE
LOCATION.
THE SUSPECT IS RYAN WESLEY
ROUTH, BORN IN FEBRUARY 1966.
NOT CLEAR WHAT THE POTENTIAL
MOTIVE MAY HAVE BEEN HERE.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT A PHOTO OF
HIM.
I BELIEVE THIS WAS TAKEN IN
UKRAINE WHERE HE TRAVELED TO IN
2022.
THIS INDIVIDUAL ESPOUSED A
NUMBER OF STRONG PRO-UKRAINIAN
VIEWS AND TRIED TO IMPLORE
AMERICANS TO TRAVEL THERE, TO
HELP THE UKRAINIANS AFTER THEY
WERE ATTACKED AND INVADED,
UNPROVOKED BY RUSSIA.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS OUT
THERE AS FAR AS A POLITICAL
BELIEF.
HIS CRIMINAL HISTORY IS
EXTENSIVE, AND THAT'S PERHAPS AN
UNDERSTATEMENT.
OVER 100 CHARGES LODGED AGAINST
HIM OVER THE YEARS.
THIS MORNING, WHILE THERE'S NO
INITIAL INDICATION OR ANY SORT
OF EVIDENCE THAT THIS INDIVIDUAL
MAY HAVE HAD AN ACCOMPLICE OR
SOMEBODY WITH HIM AT THE GOLF
COURSE YESTERDAY, I THINK THERE
IS A BIG QUESTION IN LAW
ENFORCEMENT CIRCLES AS TO HOW HE
WAS ABLE TO PURCHASE THIS
WEAPON.
IT WOULD AT LEAST APPEAR, OR
SOME INDICATIONS THAT HE WOULD
HAVE BEEN PROHIBITED BY FEDERAL
LAW AND STATE LAW FROM BUYING
THIS WEAPON.
IF, IN FACT, SOMEBODY BOUGHT IT
FOR HIM BECAUSE HE KNEW HE
COULDN'T BUY ONE, OR SOMEBODY
SOLD IT TO HIM ILLEGALLY, THAT'S
A POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL CHARGE
FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.
WE DO EXPECT HIM TO BE CHARGED
FAMILIAR
FEDERALLY.
I KNOW SOMEONE WHO APPEARS
REGULARLY ON THIS PROGRAM, DAVE
ARONBERG, SAID THEY'LL MOVE
FORWARD WITH CHARGES.
I JUST CHECKED, THE FEDERAL
COURT DOCKET IN FLORIDA, NOTHING
HAS BEEN UNSEALED OR FILED YET
THAT WE CAN SEE PUBLICLY.
IT'LL BE THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE OUT OF MIAMI THAT WILL
LIKELY BRING THIS CASE.
>> A GUY WITH A RAP SHEET THIS
LONG, IT WOULD BE VERY
DISTRESSING IF HE WERE ABLE TO
BUY AN AR-15 STYLE WEAPON.
SO PERHAPS HE DID GET SOME HELP
THERE, OR MAYBE HE DID WHAT SO
MANY OTHERS DO, BUY THEIR GUNS
ILLEGALLY.
JONATHAN LEMIRE, A LONG RAP
SHEET FROM THIS GUY.
HE ACTUALLY, IN 2016, HE
SUPPORTED DONALD TRUMP, BUT THEN
HE WAS DISILLUSIONED WITH DONALD
TRUMP WELL BEFORE THE UKRAINIAN
WAR, THE RUSSIA AND UKRAINE WAR,
THE RUSSIAN INVASION.
SAW SOME POSSIBLE SUPPORT FOR
OTHER REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES IN
2024.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
>> YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT.
IT WAS ON HIS SOCIAL MEDIA
ACCOUNT.
HE HAD SUGGESTED THAT HE HAD
BACKED TRUMP IN 2016 AND THEN
SOURED ON HIM.
THERE WAS ALSO TWEETS SUGGESTING
SOME SUPPORT FOR NIKKI HALEY,
VIVEK RAMASWAMY, AND THE LIKE.
HIS POLITICS, THOUGH, FAIRLY
UNCLEAR AT THIS POINT.
CERTAINLY, WE SHOULD GIVE CREDIT
TO THE SECRET SERVICE, AS YOU
DID, JOE.
>> YES.
>> THAT THIS IS -- YOU KNOW, AS
MUCH AS BUTLER COUNTY WENT
WRONG, THE INCIDENT IN
PENNSYLVANIA TWO MONTHS AGO,
SEEMS LIKE YESTERDAY THEY DID
EVERYTHING EXACTLY RIGHT.
THESE ARE THE SORT OF INCIDENTS
THAT DO HAPPEN FROM TIME TO
TIME.
PERHAPS NOT AS CLOSE TO THE
PRINCIPAL, LIKE THIS ONE WAS,
WHERE A MAN HAD A GUN AND WAS
PREPARING TO STRIKE, BUT THERE
ARE INCIDENTS ALL THE TIME WHERE
SECRET SERVICE DISRUPTS THESE
SORT OF INCIDENTS.
THEY'LL ARREST SOMEONE WHO POSES
SOME THREAT TO THE PRESIDENT OR
VICE PRESIDENT ALIKE.
>> PART OF THE CONFUSION LEADING
INTO THE PRESS CONFERENCE
YESTERDAY WAS THAT THERE WAS
JUST SOME BAD, MISINFORMATION
THAT CAME OUT VERY EARLY.
PEOPLE CAME OUT WITH STATEMENTS
VERY EARLY.
IT STARTED WITH SHOTS FIRED IN
THE VICINITY OF DONALD TRUMP,
SUGGESTING AT DONALD TRUMP.
OTHERS, THERE WERE STORIES FOR A
COUPLE HOURS THAT SECRET SERVICE
SAW THE DIRECTION IN WHICH THE
SHOTS WERE FIRED FROM, THEN WE
FIND OUT LATER, THOUGH, IT WAS
JUMBLED AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE,
WE FIND OUT LATER THAT IT
APPEARS ONLY SHOTS FIRED WERE
FROM THE SECRET SERVICE TOWARD
THE MAN.
TO GET HIM TO DO EXACTLY WHAT HE
DID.
>> RIGHT.
NO SHOTS FIRED AT TRUMP WHO, AT
THAT POINT, WAS STILL SEVERAL
HOLES AWAY.
>> RIGHT.
>> HE WAS THEN RUSHED TO SAFETY
BY THE SECRET SERVICE.
TOM, WHAT MORE DO WE KNOW ABOUT
THIS INDIVIDUAL?
YOU KNOW, EXPECTED ARRAIGNMENT
TODAY.
WE SHOULD LEARN, I WOULD THINK,
MORE THEN, BUT SOURCES TELLING
YOU ANYTHING ABOUT MOTIVATION AS
TO WHY HE WOULD HAVE DONE THIS?
JUST ALSO SPEAK TO US A LITTLE
MORE ABOUT THE DANGER OF THESE
SORT OF LONE WOLF KIND OF
WOULD-BE ASSASSINATIONS POSE.
>> SURE.
AS FAR AS THIS INDIVIDUAL, WE'RE
NOT TOLD HE'S MADE ANY
STATEMENT.
APPARENTLY, HE WAS VERY CALM AT
THE TIME OF ARREST.
HE HAS EXPERIENCE BEING
ARRESTED, BUT HE WAS APPARENTLY
VERY CALM AT THE TIME HE WAS
ARRESTED.
THERE WERE NO STATEMENTS THAT
WERE MADE THERE, ACCORDING TO
THE FOLKS WE'VE SPOKEN WITH.
DAVE ARONBERG AGAIN SAID THAT ON
THIS NETWORK'S AIR LAST NIGHT.
THERE'S NO INDICATION HE'S MADE
ANY STATEMENTS TOWARD MOTIVE.
AS JOE POINTED OUT, AS YOU
POINTED OUT, WE'VE BHNEEN TALKIN
THIS MORNING ABOUT THE POLITICAL
BELIEFS, THINGS HE PUT ON
TWITTER IN THE PAST, NOW X,
THINGS ON HIS FACEBOOK ACCOUNT,
BOTH OF WHICH HAVE BEEN TAKEN
DOWN AT THIS STAGE.
THERE'S DIFFERENT IDEOLOGIES OR
THINGS HE WISHED HAPPENED
POLITICALLY
POLITICALLY.
DOES THAT NECESSARILY MEAN A
MOTIVE AS IT PERTAINS TO
YESTERDAY AND YESTERDAY
AFTERNOON, NOT NECESSARILY.
OBVIOUSLY, INVESTIGATORS ARE
GOING TO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PUT
THAT TOGETHER.
YOU TALK ABOUT THE LONE WOLF,
THE PERSON WHO ISN'T ON
ANYBODY'S RADAR.
TAKING A STEP BACK, THE OVERALL
PICTURE OF SECURITY, WE ARE LESS
THAN A MILE AWAY WHERE WE'RE
SITTING THIS MORNING FROM THE
UNITED NATIONS.
A WEEK FROM TODAY, A WEEK FROM
THIS MORNING, OVER 100 FOREIGN
DIGNITARIES, LEADERS, WORLD
LEADERS, LEADERS TIED UP WITH
THEIR COUNTRIES IN WAR, TALKING
ABOUT UKRAINE AND RUSSIA, WHAT'S
GOING ON IN THE MIDDLE EAST WITH
ISRAEL, HAMAS, HEZBOLLAH, IRAN.
PUT IT TOGETHER, THIS IS AN
ENORMOUS SECURITY CHALLENGE FOR
THE SECRET SERVICE.
THAT IS ALWAYS A HUGE SECURITY
CHALLENGE FOR THE SECRET
SERVICE.
>> OH, YEAH.
>> NOW, YOU HAVE THIS BACKDROP.
THEY CAN'T WAIT FOR CONGRESS TO
APPROPRIATE MONEY THIS WEEK OR
NEXT WEEK.
THEY CAN'T WAIT FOR SOMEBODY TO
COME UP WITH A NEW PLAN.
I THINK THERE ARE GOING TO BE
SERIOUS DISCUSSIONS, AND I'M
TOLD THEY STARTED LAST NIGHT.
HOW DOES THE REST OF THIS
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN WORK?
WITH THESE CANDIDATES
CRISSCROSSING THE COUNTRY, WE
ARE TOLD THE THREATS TO DONALD
TRUMP, QUITE OBVIOUSLY FROM WHAT
WE'VE SEEN THE LAST TWO MONTHS,
ARE VERY HIGH.
BUT HIS OPPONENT, VICE PRESIDENT
KAMALA HARRIS, THE THREATS TO
HER ARE HIGH, AS WELL.
YOU HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS AND
RUNNING MATES FOR BOTH
CANDIDATES.
YOU HAVE A PRESIDENT IN THE
WHITE HOUSE WITH THE NUCLEAR
CODES AND ALL THE THINGS THAT
COME WITH BEING THE COMMANDER IN
CHIEF WHO DESERVES AND IS
REQUIRED BY LAW TO HAVE THE
PROTECTION THAT JOE BIDEN HAS.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER, WHAT IS
GOING TO HAPPEN HERE GOING
FORWARD?
HOW MUCH OF A LEAN WILL THE
SECRET SERVICE PUT ON LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT?
HOW MUCH OF A LEAN WILL THEY PUT
ON OTHER AGENCIES TO SAY, THESE
GUYS NEED HELP.
THEY NEED BODIES OUT THERE.
IT IS DIFFERENT FROM NORMAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT WORK, SO IT IS NOT
SOMETHING WHERE YOU CAN SAY, ONE
DAY, I'M INVESTIGATING A CRIME,
AND I CAN SWITCH OVER TO
PROTECTING SOMEBODY.
NO, IT'S VERY DIFFERENT.
IT'S A SPECIAL SKILL SET AND
SPECIAL TRAINING.
THEY DEFINITELY NEED ADDITIONAL
HELP.
IT APPEARS, BASED ON THE PEOPLE
I'M TALKING TO.
YOU START TALKING ABOUT FAMILY
MEMBERS, TALKING ABOUT FAMILY
MEMBERS THAT ARE VERY MUCH OUT
IN THE OPEN, THAT HAVE
PROTECTION, I THINK THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT WILL TAKE A HARD
LOOK FOR OUR COUNTRY.
THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT SOUGHT
NOW TWICE IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS
TO ATTEMPT TO A ASSASSINATE OR
ACTUALLY GET CLOSE TO, IN
BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA, WITHIN AN
INCH OR TWO OF AN ASSASSINATION,
I THINK RAISES SERIOUS CONCERNS
FOR US AS A COUNTRY MOVING
FORWARD.