The U.S. Secret Service found an elevated hunting stand with a clear view of President Donald Trump's Air Force One exit at Palm Beach International Airport. The discovery prompted increased security measures, leading Trump to board the plane using smaller stairs on Sunday. No suspects have been identified, and the FBI is leading the investigation.
On Sunday, October 19, 2025, President Donald Trump departed Florida on Air Force One from Palm Beach International Airport, boarding quickly via smaller stairs due to heightened security measures, according to a White House official.
The measures followed the Secret Service's discovery of a suspected elevated hunting stand near the airport. The stand, located across Southern Boulevard in the median of a major highway about 200 yards from the Air Force One stairs, offered a direct line of sight to the presidential plane's exit area. It was spotted during advance security preparations prior to Trump's return to the West Palm Beach area, though reports differ on the exact day—Friday according to Fox News, or Thursday per the Daily Wire. No individuals were present at the scene, and the stand appeared to have been in place for some time.
U.S. Secret Service chief of communications Anthony Guglielmi stated, "There was no impact to any movements, and no individuals were present or involved at the location." He added, "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."
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed his agency is leading the probe, working closely with the Secret Service and Palm Beach County law enforcement. Patel said, "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. 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."
Eric Trump praised the Secret Service on social media, sarcastically noting the stand's odd placement for "all the Whitetail on Southern BLVD" and adding, "Ps the Secret Service did a GREAT job finding this."
This incident occurs amid recent threats against Trump, including the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt at a Butler, Pennsylvania, rally where he was shot in the ear, two others were wounded, and firefighter Corey Comperatore was killed. Separately, Ryan Routh, 59, was convicted of attempting to assassinate Trump on a Palm Beach golf course and reportedly tried to stab himself upon hearing the verdict.