The question of how many U.S. presidents have been assassinated is a stark reminder of the dangers and vulnerabilities inherent in the highest office of the United States. Throughout American history, four presidents have been assassinated, and numerous attempts and plots have threatened the lives of others. This article delves into the history of presidential assassinations and attempted assassinations, exploring the context, the individuals involved, and the evolution of presidential protection in response to these tragic events.
Early Presidential Era and Lack of Protection
In the early days of the American Republic, there was a surprising lack of concern for presidential security. The Founding Fathers, perhaps influenced by the ideals of a republic and wary of appearing monarchical, did not establish elaborate protective measures for the president. Early presidents moved with considerable freedom, reflecting a more informal and less security-conscious era.
Thomas Jefferson, for example, walked unescorted to his inauguration in 1801. This lack of security wasn’t due to a lack of potential threats; presidents still received threatening letters and faced public criticism. However, the prevailing attitude was one of openness and accessibility, with little perceived need for formal protection. Even the nascent police force in Washington D.C., established in 1805, was a small entity initially focused on general law and order rather than presidential security.
John Quincy Adams, despite receiving threats, continued his habit of solitary walks. Andrew Jackson, a popular but controversial figure, famously disregarded threats, even sending them to newspapers for publication. In 1833, he was assaulted by a former Navy lieutenant, though this was not considered a serious assassination attempt.
The first serious assassination attempt on a U.S. president occurred on January 30, 1835, targeting Andrew Jackson. Richard Lawrence, a house painter, fired two pistols at President Jackson as he exited the Capitol. Miraculously, both pistols misfired. Lawrence was apprehended and found not guilty by reason of insanity. Despite this alarming event, no significant steps were taken to improve presidential protection. Jackson’s successor, Martin Van Buren, continued to move without security details.
An act to establish an auxiliary watch in Washington D.C. was passed in 1842 after an incident involving rocks thrown at President John Tyler. However, this measure was primarily aimed at protecting the White House itself, which had been subject to vandalism, rather than providing personal security for the president. Prior to the Civil War, the prevailing attitude remained that presidents were relatively safe and should remain accessible to the public, even in the face of growing threats.
Abraham Lincoln’s Assassination (1865) – A Turning Point
The assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865 marked a dramatic turning point and underscored the vulnerability of the president. Even before his inauguration, there were concerns about plots to kidnap or kill Lincoln as he traveled to Washington. Unprecedented military precautions were taken for his inauguration, with soldiers lining the streets and plainclothes officers mingling with the crowds.
Despite these initial precautions, Lincoln lived under constant threat throughout the Civil War. Threatening letters were common, but largely ignored. Lincoln himself was reluctant to accept protection, valuing his accessibility and freedom of movement. While military units sometimes guarded the White House and accompanied him on travels, Lincoln often resisted these efforts. Ward H. Lamon, the District of Columbia marshal, took personal charge of Lincoln’s protection but faced the President’s frequent lack of cooperation. Eventually, four Washington policemen were assigned as bodyguards in late 1864, but Lincoln insisted they remain inconspicuous.
In the closing days of the war, rumors of assassination plots intensified. John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer, conspired to kidnap Lincoln, and later, driven by the Confederacy’s defeat, resolved to kill him. Booth’s opportunity arose on April 14, 1865, when he learned of Lincoln’s attendance at Ford’s Theatre.
The bodyguard assigned to President Lincoln that night, Washington policeman John F. Parker, failed in his duty. Parker abandoned his post outside the presidential box to watch the play and then went to a nearby saloon for a drink, leaving Lincoln completely unprotected. Booth gained easy access to the presidential box and fatally shot Lincoln in the head. Lincoln died the following morning, April 15, 1865.
Booth was captured and killed days later, and several of his associates were tried and convicted. Lincoln’s assassination exposed the utter inadequacy of presidential protection at the time. Despite a congressional investigation, there was no immediate call for improved security measures. The prevailing sentiment seemed to be that Lincoln’s assassination was an isolated event linked to the extraordinary circumstances of the Civil War, unlikely to be repeated.
James A. Garfield’s Assassination (1881) – Continued Neglect
In the years following Lincoln’s death, presidential protection remained minimal. Presidents continued to move freely, largely unguarded. This lack of personal security was tragically highlighted by the assassination of President James A. Garfield in 1881.
Garfield’s assassin, Charles J. Guiteau, was a disgruntled and mentally unstable man who believed he was entitled to a diplomatic post for his perceived support of Garfield’s campaign. Rejected and ignored by the President, Guiteau became obsessed with a sense of grievance and megalomania. He claimed to have received a “divine command” to kill Garfield.
Guiteau stalked Garfield for weeks, noting his lack of security. On July 2, 1881, as President Garfield was heading to a train at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington, Guiteau shot him in the back. Garfield lingered for weeks, eventually dying from infection on September 19, 1881. Guiteau, despite evidence of mental instability, was found guilty of murder and executed.
The assassination of Garfield again shocked the nation. The New York Tribune predicted that this event would forever alter the simple and accessible lifestyle of American presidents, turning them into “prisoners of forms and restrictions.” However, in the immediate aftermath, no concrete steps were taken to provide presidents with personal protection. Presidents continued to move about Washington and travel with little to no security detail.
William McKinley’s Assassination (1901) – The Catalyst for Change
The assassination of William McKinley in 1901 finally served as the definitive catalyst for establishing systematic presidential protection. McKinley’s assassin, Leon F. Czolgosz, was an anarchist who opposed all forms of government.
On September 6, 1901, at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, President McKinley was greeting the public in a reception line at the Temple of Music. Despite the presence of local detectives, soldiers, and Secret Service agents, security arrangements were lax. Czolgosz, concealing a pistol under a handkerchief, approached McKinley in the line and shot him twice. McKinley died from his wounds on September 14, 1901. Czolgosz was quickly tried, convicted, and executed.
Unlike the previous assassinations, McKinley’s death spurred immediate action. The public and the government recognized the urgent need for continuous and professional presidential protection.
Development of Presidential Protection – The Secret Service Era
The third presidential assassination in just over a generation prompted significant changes. In 1902, the Secret Service, initially established to combat counterfeiting, assumed full-time responsibility for presidential protection. This marked the beginning of modern presidential security. Initially, the detail was small, but it grew as the responsibilities and travel of the president increased.
Theodore Roosevelt, McKinley’s successor and the first president to benefit from systematic Secret Service protection, had mixed feelings about it. While acknowledging its necessity, he viewed it as a “thorn in the flesh,” recognizing the inherent tension between presidential security and accessibility.
In 1912, even after leaving office, Theodore Roosevelt himself became a target. During a presidential campaign speech in Milwaukee, John N. Schrank, motivated by delusions, shot and wounded Roosevelt. Fortunately, a thick speech manuscript and eyeglasses case in Roosevelt’s pocket likely saved his life.
The Secret Service’s role continued to expand. In 1913, Congress formally authorized the permanent protection of the President. Protection was also extended to the President-elect and, later, the President’s immediate family. During World War I, Congress made it a federal crime to threaten the president.
Presidential foreign travel, starting with Theodore Roosevelt’s trip to Panama in 1906 and Woodrow Wilson’s extensive سفر to Europe for the Versailles Peace Conference, further complicated security arrangements and necessitated larger Secret Service details.
In 1933, President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt survived an assassination attempt in Miami. Giuseppe Zangara, driven by hatred of capitalists and presidents, fired shots at Roosevelt, but missed him, mortally wounding Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak instead. This event underscored the ever-present danger and the need for constant vigilance.
Another assassination attempt occurred in 1950 against President Harry S. Truman. Puerto Rican nationalists Oscar Collazo and Griselio Torresola attacked Blair House, where Truman was residing during White House renovations. In the ensuing gunfight with Secret Service agents and White House Police, Torresola and a White House policeman were killed, and Collazo and two other officers were wounded. Truman was unharmed.
This attack led to the 1951 legislation that permanently authorized Secret Service protection for the President, their immediate family, the President-elect, and the Vice President. In 1962, protection was further extended to include the Vice President-elect and former presidents for a reasonable period after leaving office.
While the FBI also has a history of involvement in presidential protection, primarily through threat assessment and intelligence sharing, the Secret Service remains the primary agency responsible for the physical safety of the president.
Conclusion
To directly answer the question, four U.S. presidents have been assassinated: Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley, and John F. Kennedy. Beyond these assassinations, there have been numerous attempts and credible threats against other presidents throughout history. These events have profoundly shaped the office of the presidency and led to the development of the sophisticated and comprehensive presidential protection apparatus that exists today. The history of presidential assassinations is a somber but crucial part of American history, highlighting both the risks faced by those in leadership and the evolving measures taken to safeguard them.
