Federal authorities have now reportedly launched an investigation after Secret Service agents discovered an abandoned hunting stand overlooking President Donald Trump’s arrival area at Palm Beach International Airport, raising fresh security concerns just months after two separate attempts on the president’s life.
The elevated wooden structure, found during a routine security sweep Thursday, sat empty and appeared to have been erected “months ago,” according to a law enforcement source who spoke with Fox News.
While the Secret Service quickly secured the area, the find has triggered a joint federal and local investigation amid heightened fears over threats to the president.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that his agency deployed investigative teams to collect evidence and activate cell phone analytics capabilities to help identify potential suspects. “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. “No individuals were located at the scene.”
Secret Service communications chief Anthony Guglielmi also confirmed that no one was present when agents arrived and emphasized that the agency’s security procedures had worked as intended. “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,” Guglielmi said.
Local law enforcement in Palm Beach County assisted federal agents in processing the scene. Officials have not disclosed whether any materials or evidence were recovered but described the discovery as “significant.”
The structure’s placement—within visual range of where Trump’s plane lands—has intensified scrutiny over potential gaps in airport perimeter security.
The discovery comes at a tense moment for federal authorities already investigating multiple attempts on Trump’s life. In July, a gunman in Butler, Pennsylvania, wounded the president’s ear during a campaign rally, prompting renewed calls for stronger protection.
More recently, prosecutors charged 59-year-old Ryan Routh with constructing a sniper’s nest at a Palm Beach golf course frequented by Trump.
The latest incident, though not yet tied to any known suspect, has revived concerns that political violence and security threats against the president are escalating. While no link has been established between the hunting stand and any planned attack, the discovery’s proximity to a presidential arrival zone has unsettled both law enforcement and local residents.
Investigators are now working to determine when the structure was built and whether it was ever used for surveillance or targeting. The FBI’s forensic team is reportedly analyzing wood samples and ground disturbances to estimate how long the stand had been in place.
Federal officials have remained tight-lipped about their findings but insist that Trump’s movements and safety were never compromised. The Secret Service said it would continue enhancing protective measures, while Patel vowed that investigators would “leave no stone unturned” in identifying who erected the structure.
The investigation remains ongoing.
[READ MORE: Massachusetts School Worker Dies After Alleged Assault by Student]
