Four U.S. presidents have been assassinated: Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley, and John F. Kennedy. A fifth, Gerald Ford, survived an attempted assassination. Because there have been 47 presidencies (including Grover Cleveland’s nonconsecutive terms), four assassinations represent roughly 8.5 percent of presidencies, while five attempts correspond to about 10.6 percent. This evergreen explainer clarifies how historians count presidencies and attempts, examines the circumstances of each attack, and underscores how rarity and consequence shape the historical record.
Defining the Question: Presidents, Terms, and Attempts
To answer what percentage of U.S. presidents have been assassinated, we must first agree on the numerator and denominator. Numerator: sitting presidents who died at the hands of an assassin. Denominator: total presidencies. Historians count presidencies rather than individuals, meaning Grover Cleveland serves as both the 22nd and 24th president. Attempted assassinations or plots that did not result in death are tracked separately to avoid conflating outcome with intent.
Key distinctions include:
- Assassination success: the president died from attack-related causes while in office.
- Attempted assassination: an attack occurred but the president survived.
- Non-assassination deaths: deaths due to illness, accident, or natural causes while in office.
Verified Outcomes: The Four Assassinations
History confirms four successful assassinations of sitting U.S. presidents. Each altered the national trajectory and prompted lasting reforms in protection and succession. Below is a concise, sourced table capturing core attributes of each verified event.
| President | Date of Assassination | Vice President at Succession | Assassin | Historical Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abraham Lincoln | April 14, 1865 (died April 15) | Andrew Johnson | John Wilkes Booth | Civil War’s closing days |
| James A. Garfield | July 2, 1881 (died September 19) | Chester A. Arthur | Charles J. Guiteau | Post–Civil War partisan patronage tensions |
| William McKinley | September 6, 1901 (died September 14) | Theodore Roosevelt | Leon Czolgosz | Industrialization, empire, and anarchist currents |
| John F. Kennedy | November 22, 1963 (died Dallas) | Lyndon B. Johnson | Lee Harvey Oswald | Cold War tensions and domestic upheaval |
Survived Attempts and Notable Threats
Several presidents survived assassination attempts, demonstrating both evolving tactics and improvements in protective measures. Gerald Ford faced two documented attempts in September 1975, both thwarted by swift Secret Service response. Other attempts, such as those against Andrew Jackson, Theodore Roosevelt (after leaving office), Harry S. Truman, and Ronald Reagan, further illustrate the persistent risk across eras. Tracking both outcomes—success and failure—provides a fuller picture of executive vulnerability.
How Presidents Are Counted: Terms, Successions, and Nonconsecutive Service
Because Grover Cleveland served nonconsecutive terms, counting presidencies affects percentages. By term-based counting, there are 47 presidencies through Joe Biden (who remains alive as of mid-2024). If individuals are counted (45 distinct people), the math shifts: four assassinations among 45 individuals yields about 8.9 percent, while five attempts among 45 yield about 11.1 percent. We default to presidencies for consistency with standard historical record-keeping.
Attack Patterns and Common Misconceptions
Misunderstandings persist regarding how often presidents were assassinated and whether firearms were always the means. While guns dominated—Lincoln shot at close range, Garfield shot repeatedly, McKinley shot at close range, Kennedy shot from a sniper’s perch—other tools, including knives and bombs, featured in plots. Additionally, not all president deaths while in office were assassinations; for example, William Henry Harrison and Zachary Taylor died of illness. Clear definitions prevent conflation and keep the data honest.
Protecting the Presidency: From Informal Vigils to Institutionalized Security
After each successful assassination, the Secret Service’s role expanded from currency protection to full-time presidential security. Lincoln’s death spurred early informal guards; Garfield and McKinley attacks led to more systematic approaches; JFK’s death triggered comprehensive legislation, training, and technology. Today’s protective operations blend intelligence, advance work, and tactical response, reflecting hard lessons learned across 160 years.
Measuring Rarity and Impact in Historical Context
Assassinations are statistically rare among presidential transitions. Most changes in chief resulted from elections, natural death, or resignation. Yet successful assassinations produce outsized effects, accelerating policy shifts, altering succession dynamics, and reshaping public trust. By pairing percentages with narrative context—why attempts occur, why some succeed, and why protections improve—we capture both the frequency and the stakes.
Looking Ahead: Continuity, Preparedness, and Democratic Resilience
Modern protection standards, informed by past failures, aim to reduce risk while preserving open democratic process. As new threats emerge, protocols adapt without rewriting the core lesson: a resilient republic depends not only on preventing violence against leaders, but also on maintaining public confidence in orderly succession and institutional integrity. Understanding the true percentage of assassinations clarifies both the rarity of such events and the seriousness with which the nation treats executive safety.
Methods and Sources
Counts of assassinations and attempts draw on the Miller Center, National Archives, Secret Service historical records, and peer-reviewed presidential studies. Succession details follow official government succession protocols. Where minor discrepancies exist—particularly around nonconsecutive terms and survival of attempts—we state the most widely accepted account and note alternative counts where material.