Verdict: FALSE

Donald Trump faced three assassination attempts. That part is true. One of them injured him. But the claim that no president before him ever faced three attempts is wrong. History directly contradicts it.

Lincoln Survived Multiple Attempts Before Ford’s Theatre

In February 1861, a Baltimore secret society plotted to kill Abraham Lincoln during his train journey to Washington for his inauguration. Pinkerton uncovered the plot and rerouted Lincoln through Baltimore in secret, unrecognised, in the early hours of February 23. That was attempt number one. Then came August 1864. Lincoln was riding alone to the Soldiers’ Home outside Washington when a shot rang out. The bullet passed through the crown of his hat and knocked it to the ground. Lincoln dismissed it as a hunting accident and asked the soldiers present to keep quiet. That was attempt number two. Booth’s attack at Ford’s Theatre in April 1865 was the third – and the fatal one. Some historians count at least five failed attempts before Booth succeeded.

One Nuance Worth Noting

Some historians argue the Baltimore plot was never serious. Nobody faced arrest afterwards, despite a climate where authorities jailed people on mere suspicion. Even setting Baltimore aside, the 1864 hat shooting alone confirms Lincoln survived multiple real attempts.

Ford Also Faced Two Attempts in the Same Month

Lynette Fromme pointed a pistol at Ford in Sacramento on September 5, 1975. Sara Jane Moore fired at him in San Francisco just 17 days later.

Bottom Line

Trump’s three attempts stand out in the modern era. No living president in recent history faced that frequency of attack in such a short period. But Lincoln – and arguably others – faced just as many attempts, or more. The claim is false.