Armed Venezuelan man arrested near White House after alleged Trump assassination plot
A Venezuelan national was arrested near the White House carrying three firearms after allegedly telling Secret Service officers he planned to assassinate President Trump.
Venezuelan man with rifles arrested blocks from White House in alleged Trump plot
An undocumented Venezuelan national was taken into custody near the White House on Thursday night after allegedly telling Secret Service officers he intended to assassinate President Donald Trump, washingtonpost.com reports.
The suspect, identified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos, was arrested on multiple charges including unlawful transportation of a firearm, carrying unregistered firearms and ammunition, possession of dangerous weapons, carrying a pistol without a licence, unauthorised use of a motor vehicle, theft and receiving stolen property.
Secret Service officers initially observed the suspect behaving suspiciously while parked on Constitution Avenue. A law enforcement source told CBS News the incident occurred in the 1600 block of Constitution Avenue NW, near the Ellipse — within blocks of the White House.
When officers approached and confronted Guanipa Chrinos, he allegedly told them he had heard voices in his head instructing him to travel to Washington, D.C., and kill the president. Officers also established that the vehicle he was driving had been reported stolen.
The suspect allegedly admitted that weapons were inside the vehicle. A subsequent search recovered three firearms, including a rifle, along with dozens of rounds of ammunition. DHS released a photograph of the seized items.
"This is the latest example of Secret Service personnel relying on extensive training and experience to deescalate a volatile situation that posed an imminent threat to our protectees and other Americans," Secret Service Director Sean Curran said in a statement.
DHS said Guanipa Chrinos entered the United States through Texas in March 2024, was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol at that time, and was subsequently released. It was not immediately clear whether he had legal representation.
"Thanks to our brave Secret Service officers, this illegal alien with three firearms in his vehicle was arrested near the White House before he could harm anyone," Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a separate statement.
Trump has been the target of multiple assassination attempts since entering political life. Most notably, a gunman opened fire from a rooftop during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024, killing one attendee and wounding Trump and two others.
In April, a gunman breached security during the White House Correspondents' Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel while Trump and first lady Melania Trump were in attendance. A Secret Service officer was wounded in that incident and the suspect was arrested at the scene.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)