Secret Service officers detained an armed man targeting Trump

Federal authorities intercepted a Venezuelan national armed with three firearms near the White House on Thursday night after he allegedly planned to assassinate President Donald Trump. US Secret Service officers initially spotted 26-year-old Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos parked along Constitution Avenue inside a stolen blue Ford F-150. When officers approached the vehicle, the suspect communicated through Google Translate. He made a hand gesture resembling a gun to confirm he possessed weapons, claiming he had confiscated a firearm from someone who tried to kill him. Subsequent searches uncovered a MAC-10 machine pistol, a Glock 43x handgun, an AR-15 rifle, and dozens of ammunition rounds stashed in a brown bag. Department of Homeland Security officials reported that the man confessed to hearing voices commanding him to travel to Washington DC to kill Donald Trump.

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Heightened security environment

Security protocols around high-profile political figures remain intensely scrutinized in Washington following recent domestic incidents and shifting political climates. Addressing the arrest, Secret Service Director Sean Curran stated that this event highlights an elevated threat environment surrounding the capital. He expressed deep concern over armed individuals repeatedly gravitating toward the highly secure complex, noting that personnel are continuously trained to neutralize such encounters.

Court records indicate the suspect entered the United States without legal documentation through Texas in March 2024. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has now placed a formal detainer on him. Currently detained by the US Marshals Service, Guanipa Chrinos faces severe federal charges including carrying unlicensed firearms, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and receiving stolen property. He remains in custody without bond following his initial Friday hearing at the DC Superior Court.