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highest office in the landSince the United States was founded, forty-five men have served as president. Startlingly, nearly 40 percent of them have faced assassination attempts. Four were fatally struck down while in office: Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley, and John F. Kennedy. Others were injured or narrowly spared by chance or the intervention of bystanders. Each attack tells a story of discontent, obsession, or personal grievance, but all serve as reminders that the presidency is not just a political role but a dangerous one.