Third assassination attempt on Donald Trump foiled as armed suspect arrested outside Coachella rally

A third assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump was thwarted on Saturday after a man from Las Vegas was arrested with weapons and fake credentials about half a mile from Trump's campaign rally in Coachella Valley, California, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco confirmed on Sunday.

According to a statement from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, deputies stopped Vem Miller at a checkpoint at the intersection of Avenue 52 and Celebration Drive around 5 p.m. Miller, driving a black SUV, was found in illegal possession of a shotgun, a loaded handgun, and a high-capacity magazine.

Sheriff Bianco told the Southern California News Group that Miller, a member of a right-wing anti-government group, likely intended to assassinate Trump. The plot was foiled when Miller presented fake VIP and press passes at the checkpoint, which immediately raised suspicions.

“They were different enough to cause the deputies alarm,” Bianco said. “We probably stopped another assassination attempt.”

Miller, a registered Republican with a master’s degree from UCLA, previously ran for state assembly in Nevada in 2022. He identifies as a so-called sovereign citizen, part of a movement that denies the legitimacy of government authority unless personally consented to.

The Sheriff's Department had established a double perimeter around the rally area, limiting access to residents and closely monitoring movement within the half-mile zone. Bianco remarked on how surprised he was by the incident:  
“I thought it’s not going to happen in Riverside County. We don’t have the same sicko issues and violent protests like they have in Los Angeles. We’re better than that. Go figure.”

Bianco expressed pride in the efforts of his deputies, who worked under near 100-degree heat. The US Secret Service praised the Sheriff’s Department for going “above and beyond” in protecting Trump and rally attendees.  

“I am extremely proud of the mental and physical effort our deputies showed all day,” Bianco said.

Meanwhile, another man was questioned by the FBI after bomb-detecting dogs repeatedly alerted to his presence. Although the man was denied entry to the rally, further details have not been disclosed.

Miller was booked at the John J. Benoit Detention Center for possessing a loaded firearm and high-capacity magazine, but he was released on $5,000 bail. His court appearance is scheduled for January 2, 2025, at the Indio Larson Justice Center.

The US Secret Service released a brief statement, confirming it was aware of the arrest: “The incident did not impact protective operations. The Secret Service extends its gratitude to the deputies and local partners who assisted in safeguarding last night’s events.”

This follows two other assassination attempts on Trump in recent months. In September, 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh was charged after being found with a high-powered rifle near Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach. Routh fled the scene after US Secret Service agents fired at him.  

In July, another attempt was made during a rally in Pennsylvania, where Matthew Crooks fired an AR-15-style rifle at Trump from a rooftop, hitting his ear and killing one attendee. Crooks was shot dead by Secret Service counter-sniper agents.