Bitcoin falls after second assassination attempt on President Trump

Former President Donald Trump faced a second assassination attempt on September 15. The Republican presidential candidate was playing golf at a golf course in West Palm Beach when the incident occurred. The suspect was arrested and Trump was unharmed. However, the assassination attempt sent shock waves through the cryptocurrency market, with BTC plummeting.

There was a shot.

The incident happened around 1:00pm ET when a Secret Service agent found a man armed with an AK-47-style rifle hiding in bushes near the property. The agent opened fire and the suspect fled in a black SUV. Authorities found two backpacks and a GoPro camera near a fence, along with the rifle. The suspect, later identified as 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, fled but didn’t get far. A quick-thinking witness took a photo of his vehicle’s license plate, which allowed police to locate and arrest the suspect on Interstate 95.

Bitcoin takes a hit

News of the assassination attempt rocked not only the political world but also the cryptocurrency market, with the price of Bitcoin dropping by about 3% from $60,313 to $58,627.

The drop triggered a wave of liquidations worth $116.52 million, with the majority of that ($106.52 million) coming from long trades. In the past 24 hours, the number of traders liquidated reached 49,351, widening the market turmoil.

The sharp decline was triggered by President Trump’s stance on making the United States the crypto hub, with many in the crypto community hoping he will create a better regulatory and nurturing environment for the sector.

Authorities’ response

The FBI is treating the incident as an “assassination attempt.” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas praised the Secret Service’s swift action, saying it likely prevented a major tragedy. He stressed that protecting presidential candidates remains a top priority.

Political leaders condemn violence

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris expressed relief that Trump was unharmed. They strongly condemned the violence, and leaders from across the political spectrum called for an end to such attacks.