When we talk about 10 assassination attempts on contemporary heads of state, the stories sound like something out of a thriller novel—yet they’re all too real. From a stolen forklift aimed at a U.S. president to a ricin‑laden envelope addressed to a former commander‑in‑chief, each plot reveals just how daring, bizarre, and occasionally absurd modern assassination schemes can be.
10 Assassination Attempts: A Modern Threat Overview
10 Donald Trump
During a 2017 rally at North Dakota’s biggest oil refinery, former President Donald Trump was busy hawking his tax‑cut agenda, completely oblivious to a bizarre scheme brewing nearby. While he stood on stage, a 42‑year‑old man commandeered a forklift, intending to use the industrial machine to ram the president’s limousine, disable it, and deliver a fatal blow.
The would‑be assailant’s plan went sideways when his forklift became stuck in a gated area reserved for the event. Realizing the operation was doomed, he abandoned the vehicle, dumped it in a nearby ditch, and tried to slip away. However, the restricted nature of the site meant security forces quickly discovered his presence and arrested him.
In court, his defense attorney claimed the defendant suffered from bipolar disorder and ADHD, painting the act as a reckless outburst rather than a calculated murder plot. The presiding judge, seemingly uninterested, handed down a ten‑year sentence in a state penitentiary, effectively ending the bizarre forklift‑based assassination attempt.
9 Angela Merkel
During a visit to Prague, the unassuming, grandmotherly German Chancellor Angela Merkel found herself at the center of a heated protest. Demonstrators brandished placards depicting Merkel with a Hitler moustache and juxtaposing the EU flag with a swastika, accusing the European Union of imposing a militarised, NATO‑driven agenda on the Czech Republic.
One protester, driving a black 4×4, attempted to close the distance to Merkel’s motorcade as it moved from the airport to the Sobotka government building. Police intercepted the vehicle and, despite the driver being unarmed, threatened to open fire. The man eventually surrendered without further incident.
Police later claimed they discovered “items” in the suspect’s car that could be used as weapons. Those items turned out to be nothing more than blocks of cement, yet the narrative was used to justify the heavy‑handed police response.
8 Theresa May
British Prime Minister Theresa May, whose tenure was marked by political turmoil, attracted the attention of a disgruntled 20‑year‑old homeless man. After his uncle was killed in a drone strike, the young man reached out to self‑styled “Islamic State” militants online, seeking bombs to either blow up Parliament or assassinate May at her Downing Street residence.
Unbeknownst to him, the supposed militants were actually FBI operatives who handed him over to MI5. The agency then paired him with an undercover officer posing as an armorer. The aspiring assassin, none the wiser, shared his plans, received a fake bomb and a jacket stuffed with dummy explosives, and was subsequently surrounded and arrested by police.
In court, he claimed the plot was a set‑up, insisting he had never intended to act. He even mentioned a prior, outlandish scheme involving dropping missiles from balloons in the edge of space. The judge, unmoved, sentenced him to 30 years in prison.
7 Joe Biden
President Joe Biden has faced a string of threats from young conspirators. In 2020, a 19‑year‑old was apprehended in Delaware after police discovered a van packed with firearms, explosives, $509,000 in cash, bomb‑making manuals, and a handwritten checklist ending with the word “execute”. Online memes, including one on iFunny captioned “Should I kill Joe Biden?”, hinted at the suspect’s mindset.
The following year, a 27‑year‑old voluntarily called the Secret Service, declaring his intent to kill the president and even the Secret Service agents, citing a bizarre claim of owning the planet. When agents followed up, he invoked his “right to free speech” and asked to be taken to the White House to “punch the president in the face, sit in his chair, and stay there until he dies”. He was promptly arrested and charged.
Most recently, a 19‑year‑old drove a truck into a White House fence, prompting charges of threatening to kill, kidnap, or harm the president. He received a ten‑year prison sentence for the reckless act.
6 Justin Trudeau
In Canada, a 46‑year‑old man stormed the gates of Rideau Hall, the official residence of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The assailant’s truck was loaded with an unlicensed revolver, a prohibited semi‑automatic rifle, and two shotguns. Initial media reports suggested he merely wanted to arrest the prime minister, not kill him, but the narrative quickly shifted to claim he simply wanted to speak.
In reality, the individual was charged with threatening to kill or harm Trudeau. A letter allegedly containing the threat was never released; instead, officials provided only selective summaries to the press. The incident occurred a day after a Dominion Day rally on Parliament Hill, where protestors displayed images of Trudeau on a gallows, demanding his execution.
The attempt was largely muted in the Canadian media, possibly because the perpetrator was a member of the armed forces. Acknowledging the potential blowback, authorities may have chosen to downplay the event to preserve the image of universal military support for the prime minister.
5 Queen Beatrix
On Queen’s Day in 2009, a 38‑year‑old Dutchman attempted a suicide attack aimed at Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. He crashed his car into the crowd watching the celebrations, killing six bystanders and injuring ten others before his vehicle slammed into a monument. The assailant suffered critical injuries and later died in the hospital, after police—despite months of security planning—failed to protect the public.
In a contrasting episode, during Queen Elizabeth II’s Victory over Japan Day celebrations in 2010, Prime Minister David Cameron, concerned about a rumored plot against the monarch, allegedly ordered a drone strike that eliminated suspected British citizens in Syria. This covert action was taken while official protection duties were left to the Metropolitan Police.
Meanwhile, the police encouraged crowds to ignore credible claims of a pressure‑cooker bomb in the capital, urging them to line the roads for camera crews despite the looming threat.
4 Barack Obama
In 2013, an Elvis‑impersonating 45‑year‑old sent President Barack Obama a package containing a mysterious granular substance later identified as ricin, along with a typewritten letter. The note read, “No one wanted to listen to me before… There are still ‘Missing Pieces’… To see a wrong and not expose it, is to become a silent partner to its continuance.” The sender, signing as “KC”, also mailed copies to Republican Senator Roger Wicker and Mississippi Judge Sadie Holland.
The FBI asserted that no one died from exposure to the ricin, but experts note that as little as 500 micrograms—roughly the size of a pinhead—can be lethal, and there is no antidote. The toxin’s ease of extraction from castor beans makes it a terrifying weapon, and the lack of a specific exposure test raises concerns about undetected threats.
Another deadly package addressed to Obama was intercepted in 2018, this time containing a bomb. Similar threats were also sent to figures like George Soros, Hillary Clinton, and former CIA Director John Brennan, with all return addresses pointing to former DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who denied any involvement.
3 Fumio Kishida
Japan’s 101st prime minister, Fumio Kishida, faced an explosive surprise during a speech in Wakayama. A 24‑year‑old attacker hurled a pipe bomb that detonated a meter from Kishida’s podium. Guards swiftly blocked the device with an unfurled ballistic suitcase, preventing any injury.
Unfazed, Kishida continued his schedule, delivering another speech six hours later in Chiba without any bag checks or metal detectors, showcasing a remarkable composure under threat.
Japan’s political culture emphasizes trust‑building; candidates often measure success by the number of handshakes they secure, reflecting a unique relationship between electorate and officials that contrasts sharply with many Western democracies.
2 Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Before early 2022, few outside Ukraine knew the name Volodymyr Zelenskyy. By March, the world learned of his harrowing survival of twelve alleged assassination attempts within a single week. The first wave involved Chechen special forces, who were thwarted when Russian FSB agents—opposed to President Putin’s invasion—tipped off Zelenskyy’s security detail.
Subsequently, the Kremlin‑backed Wagner mercenaries, described as “lunatics” by analysts, were dispatched to eliminate the Ukrainian president. One audacious plan involved laser‑targeting Zelenskyy and calling in an airstrike. Thanks to his bodyguards and intelligence leaks, these attempts were foiled, forcing Zelenskyy into a semi‑clandestine existence, delivering speeches before green screens rather than on the battlefield.
The relentless threats underscore the precariousness of leading a nation under siege, where even the simplest public appearance can become a life‑or‑death gamble.
1 Barack Obama (again)
In 2011, a lone gunman rolled up to the White House, brandishing a semi‑automatic rifle and unleashing a volley of shots. One bullet shattered a second‑floor window near the president’s formal living room, another lodged in a window frame, and several struck the roof.
Despite the obvious danger, the Secret Service’s response was muted. An officer drew her weapon, snipers scanned the lawn, yet a supervisor radioed, “No shots have been fired.” Witnesses reported hearing the gunfire, but officials chalked it up to a backfiring vehicle or a nearby gang shootout.
It took four days for the Secret Service to acknowledge the attack, only after a housekeeper noticed debris and reported it. The shooter, a depressed 21‑year‑old, fled the scene in a car crash, leaving his weapon behind. By then, investigators were searching for two Black men, completely missing the lone Hispanic assailant.