President Donald Trump made an unusually rapid ascent aboard Air Force One on Sunday, using the aircraft’s smaller staircase amid heightened security measures at Palm Beach International Airport, according to a White House official.
The procedural shift followed the U.S. Secret Service’s discovery of what appeared to be a hunting platform positioned within clear sight of the runway where Air Force One typically lands and departs. The structure was found Friday during a standard pre-arrival inspection, and authorities have yet to identify any suspects or make arrests.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, led by Director Kash Patel, is now heading the inquiry. Patel confirmed that the stand was detected before Trump’s scheduled return to South Florida. “Prior to the President’s return to West Palm Beach, USSS discovered what appeared to be an elevated hunting stand within sight line of the Air Force One landing zone,” Patel said in a statement to media outlets. “No individuals were located at the scene. The FBI has since taken the investigatory lead, flying in resources to collect all evidence from the scene, and deploying our cell phone analytics capabilities.”
Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi told Fox News that the agency is working closely with the FBI and local authorities to evaluate the find. He described the discovery as part of routine security procedures, emphasizing that it did not interfere with Trump’s movements. “There was no impact to any movements, and no individuals were present or involved at the location,” Guglielmi said. “While we are not able to provide details about the specific items or their intent, this incident underscores the importance of our layered security measures.”
The episode adds to ongoing concerns about threats against high-profile political figures. It comes only weeks after Ryan Routh was convicted of attempting to assassinate Trump at a nearby golf course, where he had positioned himself in a concealed sniper setup along the perimeter.
Officials stressed that the latest incident caused no disruption to Trump’s travel plans, though it did prompt his security detail to expedite boarding procedures and use the aircraft’s secondary stairs to reduce exposure.
