FBI probes hunting stand near Trump’s Air Force One exit area in Florida
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The FBI is using every “forensic tool” at its disposal to investigate a recently discovered hunting ground overlooking President Donald Trump’s Air Force One departure area at Palm Beach International Airport, Deputy Director Dan Bongino said Monday.
“[Secret Service was] I’m very concerned,” Bongino told “Fox & Friends” that the agency discovered the hunting stand during a security sweep.
FBI Director Kash Patel ordered “immediate response” when notified of the situation.
FBI INSPECTED TRUMP’S AIR FORCE HUNTING STAND WITH LINE OF SIGHT FROM AN EXIT AREA AT PALM BEACH AIRPORT
President Donald Trump stands on the ramp of Air Force One as it departs for Alaska from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Aug. 15, 2025. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)
“I think we flew our plane there. This hunting stand has been properly dismantled. It’s being taken to our laboratory,” Bongino continued.
“I believe it is there now, and all the forensic tools we have, from digital tools to biometric tools, will be used to find out who put it there and why.”
Agents found the booth last Thursday, before Trump returned to West Palm Beach. Patel had previously told Fox News Digital that no one was at the scene.
AF1 QUICKLY USING SMALL STAIRWAYS DUE TO ‘INCREASED SECURITY MEASURES’ TRUMP: WH OFFICIAL
The U.S. Secret Service discovered a hunting ground near the airport used by President Donald Trump in Florida on Thursday, October 16. (US Secret Service)
“Fox & Friends” co-host Lawrence Jones highlighted recent incidents of political violence involving snipers, including the attempted assassination of Trump in July 2024 as well as the assassination of Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk last month.
The U.S. Secret Service has made numerous security changes in response, including expanding its perimeter around the airport, Bongino said.
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“I think you saw the changes with the discovery of this hunting stand set up in a tree outside of West Palm Beach,” he added.
“This is a mission with zero failures… There can’t be a mistake here… I’m a Secret Service agent, now an FBI agent, and I serve in the NYPD. I can tell you this is one of those missions where nothing can be repeated.”
