On September 15, 2024, former President Donald Trump narrowly survived a second assassination attempt—an incident that echoes a long and sobering pattern in U.S.

political history. With this, Trump joins a list of American presidents and former presidents who have faced life-threatening attacks, highlighting the intense scrutiny and danger that accompany the office.

Since the nation’s founding, 45 men have served as president. Shockingly, 40% of them have experienced assassination attempts. Four—Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley, and John F. Kennedy—were tragically killed while in office.

Throughout U.S. history, firearms have been the common instrument in all known assassination attempts on presidents. With the sole exception of Gerald Ford’s two assailants—who were women—every known attacker has been male