History is messy. If you're looking for a clean, round number for how many assassination attempts on presidents have happened, you won't find one. Honestly, it depends on who you ask and what you count. Are we talking about successful hits? Close calls where a trigger was actually pulled? Or the hundreds of "plots" the Secret Service quietly shuts down every year before they even make the news?
Most historians agree there have been over 30 serious attempts or plots against sitting and former presidents. But if you're looking for the high-stakes, "gun in the face" moments, the number is smaller but still terrifying. Four presidents didn't make it out alive. Several others survived only because of jammed guns, thick overcoats, or pure, dumb luck.
The Fatal Four: Where the Luck Ran Out
When people ask about how many assassination attempts on presidents were successful, the answer is always four. It started with Abraham Lincoln in 1865. Most folks know the Ford’s Theatre story, but what’s wild is that it wasn't the first time someone tried to get him. A few months earlier, a sniper shot his hat off while he was riding his horse. He just laughed it off.
Then there was James A. Garfield in 1881. He was shot at a train station by a guy named Charles Guiteau, who was basically mad he didn't get a government job. Garfield actually survived the initial shots. He died because his doctors kept sticking their unwashed fingers into the wound looking for the bullet. He basically died of a massive infection, not the gun.
William McKinley was next in 1901. He was at the World's Fair in Buffalo, shaking hands, when an anarchist named Leon Czolgosz shot him at point-blank range. McKinley also lingered for days before gangrene took him. Finally, we have John F. Kennedy in 1963. The Dallas motorcade. Lee Harvey Oswald. It’s the one everyone still argues about at Thanksgiving.
The Surviving Incumbents: Close Shaves and Jammed Guns
How many assassination attempts on presidents ended with the president walking away? Quite a few. One of the craziest happened to Andrew Jackson in 1835. A house painter named Richard Lawrence walked up to him outside the Capitol and pulled a pistol. It misfired. He pulled a second pistol. It also misfired.
Statistically, the odds of two separate percussion caps failing like that are nearly impossible—some called it divine intervention. Jackson, being Jackson, didn't hide; he actually started beating the guy with his cane until his aides pulled him off.
💡 You might also like: Gordon County Sheriff’s Office: What You Should Know Before You Call
Ronald Reagan is the only sitting president to be shot and actually survive the wound. In 1981, John Hinckley Jr. fired six shots outside a Hilton in D.C. A bullet ricocheted off the limo and hit Reagan in the chest. He was joking with the surgeons in the ER, telling them he "forgot to duck."
More recently, we've seen:
- Gerald Ford survived two attempts in the same month (September 1975). Both were by women. Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme (a Manson follower) had a gun that didn't have a round in the chamber. Sara Jane Moore actually got a shot off but missed because a bystander grabbed her arm.
- George W. Bush had a live grenade thrown at him during a speech in Georgia (the country, not the state) in 2005. It didn't explode because it was wrapped too tightly in a handkerchief.
- Barack Obama dealt with a guy firing a semi-automatic rifle at the White House in 2011. Several bullets hit the residence, but the Obamas weren't home.
What About Former Presidents and Candidates?
This is where the count for how many assassination attempts on presidents gets tricky. Technically, if you're not in office, are you a "presidential" target? Most people say yes.
Theodore Roosevelt was shot in 1912 while running for a third term. The bullet went through his 50-page speech and his metal eyeglass case, lodging in his chest. He literally told the crowd, "It takes more than one shot to kill a Bull Moose," and finished his 84-minute speech while bleeding into his shirt.
In 2024, Donald Trump survived two distinct incidents while campaigning. The first, in Butler, Pennsylvania, saw a bullet graze his ear on live television. Just two months later, another man was caught with a rifle at Trump's golf course in Florida.
And we can't forget the candidates who never made it to the White House because of violence. Robert F. Kennedy was killed in 1968, and George Wallace was paralyzed in 1972.
Why Does This Keep Happening?
Security experts from the Secret Service and the FBI often point to a mix of mental health issues and extreme political polarization. It’s rarely a massive, organized conspiracy. Most of the time, it's a "lone wolf"—someone looking for fame or acting on a personal delusion.
👉 See also: Beaver Dam WI Daily Citizen Obits: What Most People Get Wrong
The Secret Service was actually created to fight counterfeiters, not protect the president. It wasn't until McKinley was killed in 1901 that they were officially tasked with full-time protection. Since then, the "bubble" around the president has grown into a multi-billion dollar operation involving armored cars, signal jammers, and thousands of agents.
Actionable Takeaways for History Buffs
If you're digging into the data on how many assassination attempts on presidents have occurred, keep these nuances in mind:
- Check the Source: Government archives (like the National Archives) focus on "documented attempts" where a weapon was present.
- Differentiate Plots vs. Attempts: A "plot" is a plan caught early. An "attempt" usually means the person got within striking distance.
- Watch the Timeline: There was a massive spike in the 1970s and another notable increase in threats since the mid-2000s.
You should look into the Warren Commission report or the House Select Committee on Assassinations if you want the deep-dive forensic details on the most famous cases. They offer the most granular look at how these events changed American security protocols forever.
The reality is that being the leader of the free world is the most dangerous job in America. The list of attempts is long, and unfortunately, history suggests it will probably keep growing.